Naruto: The Masako Uzumaki Story
by nanookypoo
Summary: I KNOW THIS STORY SUCKS AT FIRST! Bare with me and read further. In the beggining you'll HATE it, but if you keep reading it starts to make more sense. I started this when I was younger so that's why she was so perfect, but it gets better. TRUST ME
1. Chapter 1

**Naruto: The Masako Uzamaki Story**

The blonde girl yawned and got out of bed. She opened her curtains eager to see the beautiful village of Konaha below. What she saw was a small city and beyond that nothing but sand.

"Phooey." Masako said. She'd forgotten that she was training in the sand village now. She went over to her closet and when she opened it up a puppet popped out and drew her into a hug.

"Yeah.Very funny, Kankuro. You can't prank a prankster." Masako said.

"Heh. Apparently not." Kankuro said stepping out of the closet and making Crow let go. Masako couldn't help but laugh a little. Kankuro was a great ninja but he always tried to surpass her in practical joking anyway.

"You can go to breakfast. I'll be down in a minute." She said.

"No you won't. That's why I'm here. The Kazakage wants to see you before you go to breakfast." Kankuro said.

"Why don't you just tell me that Gaara wants to see me?" Masako asked with a laugh. Then added, "you doof." Kankuro just shrugged and left the room with Crow.

Masako got dressed in her usual: black tee with love in red on the front, black capris and all her headbands, leaf, mist and now sand. She put on her sand holders and put away her ninja tools. Then set off to Gaara's office.

Ever since his father, the previous Kazakage, was murdered he had taken his place. Gaara was quite a busy bee. He often liked to call her to his office though just to talk. She understood him more then anyone. She knew what it was like to have to battle a demon inside you.

When Masako had made it to his office she knocked even though she knew she could just walk in. Nobody came. She was hungry so if Gaara wasn't going to answer the door then fine. She turned and began to walk towards the dining hall, when she felt sand wrap around her ankles.

"Answering the door would've worked." She said as she turned to see Gaara standing outside his office.

"I thought I told you to just come in." He said in his raspy voice.

Masako smiled, "You did Gaara-kun but knocking is polite." She said just as Gaara used his sand to wrap around her waist and pull her towards him. He gave her a tight hug and she embraced the moment because she knew that Gaara seldom gave hugs.

When he let go of her he said, "Now then, let's go to breakfast."

"Huh? Wait! That's it?" Masako exclaimed.

"Heh. I just wanted to see you first." He said.

"Well you lost. Kankuro saw me first." She informed him.

"Besides him." Gaara answered with a slight smile. Masako knew why he wanted to see her.

She was leaving. She'd actually bought herself some more time in the sand by doing an over required bunch of missions. Plus, she knew where she was going and frankly, she was scared. She didn't wanna go anywhere else but the leaf, mist and sand villages, but Mama Tsunade had told her it was necessary that she go to the next village, and she was to not complain.

Just spy. Masako was headed to the village Hidden in the Sound. She was to work for Oruchimaru. She was aware of her amazing ninja skills. She was only 12 and she could be a Jounin, but during the Chunin exams she refused to fight Naruto. She felt that if she hurt him she'd be in trouble. Later, Mama Tsunade told her that he was her twin brother. He was the boy who held the other part of the fox. She looked over to Gaara. She didn't want to leave him, but it was required. When they got to the dining hall the two of them sat in front of plates with food already on them. Masako loved this part about living in the sand, enough food to go around! After everyone had spent some time mingling and eating, Gaara stood up and the entire room went silent. Masako attempted to crouch down in her seat next to him. She knew what he was going to say.

"Good morning everyone. Today we must say goodbye to the beautiful and talented Masako." Masako, now aware that everyone was staring at her, sat up straighter and smiled. Gaara sat down with a smirk on his face.

"I hate you." Masako told him through clenched teeth. She looked across the table to Temari and she looked like she was about to cry. She gave Masako a weak smile anyway.

After breakfast the Anbu black ops team was there to pick her up. Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari saw her off and all four of them were crying.

"I'll see you all again I promise." Masako told them.

Gaara and Kankuro nodded but all Temari did was sniffle, "Yes." Temari finally managed. Masako didn't trust herself to stay around any longer so she waved and headed into the center of the ops.

You would think that by now she'd be used to walking long distances with the ops around, but she wasn't. She knew that she'd easily be able to get from village to village on her own. Mama Tsunade had insisted. They had far to go. It would take several days to get to the Sound village.

While walking one day the ops all began to fall as needles fell from the sky.

"That was fun." A voice said.

"They assumed they were safe in numbers." Another laughed.

"Yeah, well take your own advice and never assume that the ops walk in formation for fun!" Masako said as she jumped down from a tree. She crossed two of her fingers horizontally over the other two going vertically.

"Multi shadow clone jutsu!" She said and ten more of her appeared out of no where.

"Alright, let's do it!" They all shouted in unison. The fight was quick and simple. Those rain ninja didn't stand a chance against one of her, let alone eleven. She took the ops over to a nearby cave and pulled out all the needles. While all of them remain unconscious she made a fire.

'_Man I hope I don't have to go all medical ninja. I _hate_ medical techniques!_' Eventually she fell asleep and none of the ops had woken up yet. In the morning she woke up and all the ops were up to and looking better.

"Thank you." Several of them kept telling her. The one leading them pulled her out to the entrance of the cave once her bag was packed.

"Here we leave you, Masako. Just over that hill is the sound village." He told her, "Remember, every night at least one of us will be on your balcony. Tell them anything you need to tell Lady Hokage."

"Okay." Masako said.

"Oh, and Masako, take off your leaf headband and _never_ let anyone see it." He warned.

"W-why not?" Masako asked timidly.

"You don't wanna give those sound ninja a reason to kill you." He said the retreated back into the cave. All Masako did was shrug and obey, then start off towards the hill.

As she was arching the top two people attacked her. She quickly pinned them.

"So you're the new girl." The boy said.

"Let us up and we'll take you where you need to go." He finished.

"Fine but try any funny stuff and I'll kill you." Masako promised as she stepped off them.

"By the way I'm Tayuya and this is Sakon." The girl said.

"Meet my brother Ukon." Sakon said as another head came to rest on his shoulder.

"Hello. Don't worry I usually stay inside him." Ukon said the disappeared again.

"Here." Tayuya said as she opened a pair of large doors. Masako walked in first.

"Why is it so dark in here?" she asked.

"We don't know someone will come sooner or later." Sakon said as the two of them pulled the doors shut.

"Crap." Masako said out loud to herself.

"Hello, Masako Uzamaki. Welcome to the sound village." A voice said. Then a candle lite and Masako could make out the face a bit. He wore glasses and had gray hair tied back in a ponytail, but he was young.

"Who are you?" Masako asked trying to keep her voice strong.

"I'm your sensei, Kabuto." The man said.

"Oh. Kabuto-sen…"

Masako began but was cut off, "Just Kabuto, Masako." He laughed.

"Right. Kabuto, where is my room?" She finished. Kabuto nodded and led her to a small apartment with a balcony off it, perfect.

"Here," Kabuto handed her a clarinet, "if you're going to be a sound ninja then you need some kind of sound tool. Be downstairs in ten minuets." He said then left. Kabuto was going to be a strict sensei, Masako could tell. She put some of her things away and headed downstairs after ten minuets.

"Excellent. You know how to listen." He told her. "Now come with me." He said and walked out the door. She had her clarinet and held it tight as she followed him.

'_I wonder what kind of training goes on here_.' Masako thought.

Kabuto stopped at a training ground where Sakon and Tayuya were fighting. Tayuya had out a flute and was controlling three big demons with it. The demons were attacking Sakon. Her every note seemed to control a different movement.

'_It's times like these when I'm happy to have an I.Q over 200_.' Masako thought happily to herself as she began to memorize Tayuya's fingerings and what they did to the demons. Soon after Masako was sure she'd memorized most of Tayuya's fingerings the fight ended. Tayuya had won.

"Excellent Tayuya." Kabuto said standing up. Sakon walked out of the ring and sat down next to her.

"Good luck." He said. Before Masako could ask what he meant she heard Kabuto say,

"Now Masako will fight Tayuya." Masako had pinned Tayuya before, but then she hadn't used her flute. Masako was confident though. She walked into the ring and stood next to Kabuto with a smirk on her face.

"Shake hands." Kabuto instructed. The girls shook.

"Begin." Kabuto said as he left the ring and sat down next to Sakon. Masako did three back flips until she finally reached the edge of the ring. Tayuya did the same.

"Your move." Masako told her. Tayuya blew into her flute and the demons began to move towards Masako. Masako played her clarinet and the demons stopped cold, then so did Tayuya.

"What is this?" she demanded.

"Well, during your fight with Sakon I memorized and analyzed all of your fingerings. I counteracted your move with my clarinet and used my shadow possession to seal it up." Masako said then laughed. She turned to Kabuto and so did Tayuya and her demons.

"How'd I do?" Masako asked him. Sakon was staring at her in disbelief. Kabuto stood up and said

"Fight over. Victor: Masako Uzumaki."

Masako smiled and released Tayuya and her demons from her shadow possession. "Alright!" She said punching the air.

"Come with me Masako." Kabuto told her. "You five, keep training so that one day you may surpass Masako." He said then smiled at her. He walked off and Masako followed him. "Here." He said and handed her a sound ninja headband.

"Whoa, only on the first day." Masako said in amazement as she tied it around her forehead.

"You earned it." He said smiling.

"In here, someone wants to meet you." He walked inside a large building and she followed him.

"Hello Kabuto." A voice said.

"Hello Lord Orochimaru. I have a new edition to the sound ninja five. She beat Tayuya in one minute." Kabuto said.

'_Orochimaru? I have to call him Lord? Dang_.' Masako thought.

"She sounds like a perfect edition. Light the candles so we may see." Orochimaru said.

"Yes my Lord." Kabuto answered him.

After the candles were lite Orochimaru exclaimed, "My, my Kabuto. What a beautiful _and_ talented edition to sound ninja five."

"Thank you Lord Orochimaru." Masako said. Mentally slapping herself.

"My pleasure, Miss?" Orochimaru asked.

"My apologizes sir. Uzumaki. Masako Uzumaki." Masako answered.

"Yes, Masako you can go back to the training grounds now." Kabuto told her.

She turned and just before she reached the door Orochimaru said, "Masako, wait."

"Yes my Lord?" Masako answered grimacing. She didn't turn around. She felt a slight sting on her left collar bone. She turned her head to see what it was and what she saw was Orochimaru's head. He was biting her!


	2. Chapter 2

When he let go and his neck, which had stretched to a great length to reach her, went back to its normal size.

"You now have the Death curse mark. You can activate a second state which will increase your chakra and give you great power. The other sound ninja will teach you more." He said. All Masako could manage was a nod, then she scurried out the door.

As she made it back to the training grounds she was immediately surrounded by all five of the sound ninja.

"Hey Masako." The one with six arms said. "I'm Kidomaru."

"I Jirobo." Said a rather large one.

"And I'm Kimimaro." Said one who stood pretty tall. "Let's see if you're as great as Kabuto thinks." Kimimaro stated, "You'll fight all five of us, at once."

Masako just raised one of her eyebrows, "That's not fair." She said

"What you scared?" Tayuya taunted.

"No, I mean it's not fair to _you_," Masako answered, "but if you insist." The fight didn't last long. Kimimaro was the last to go. He used his bones as tools.

'_That's _so_ creepy_.' Masako thought.

Meanwhile:

"What do you make of her Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto asked Orochimaru.

"She's perfect Kabuto. She is my new vessel." Orochimaru said as a creepy smile spread across his face.

"What? My Lord, she's a woman. Do you really wish to have her body?"

"Do not question me Kabuto. She's beautiful, young and strong. The ideal vessel."

A few weeks later:

Masako didn't open her window that night which was the sign that she didn't need to see the ops team. Nothing was wrong, no evil scams she'd heard of. In her perspective everything was fine. Until that knock came.

Masako was looking at some pictures of her and her best friend Tinnara. How she missed her. They were only 7 years old in the photos. Masako hadn't been to the leaf village in 5 years. Then a knock came on the door. Masako quickly stuffed the pictures in her side table and got up to answer the door.

"Oh. Good evening Kabuto. How can I be of assistance?" She asked politely.

"Masako, I just came to tell you that Lord Orochimaru wants you as his vessel." Kabuto said looking sad.

"Huh? What are you talking about Kabuto?" Masako asked very confused.

"Lord Oruchimaru will take over your body so that he may live. It will happen tomorrow after lunch. Sleep tight." He finished then left.

"Good night." Masako said softly. She closed the door and ran to her window and threw it open. She lay back in her bed and all she had to do now was wait. The ops came in about 20 minuets.

"Sipen. What do you need Masako?" Sipen was the code word. It wasn't a real word so nobody would ever guess it.

"Oruchimaru wants to take over my body. It's going to happen tomorrow. I have to leave." Masako told them.

"Yes, pack your bags and we'll take you to the sand village." The leader of the three said.

"Sand? I wanna go to the leaf!" Masako protested quietly.

"We have to talk to Lady Hokage first. You'll be home in Konaha in no time." He reassured her.

"Okay." Masako said. Then raced and packed her bags. She was still dressed from the day. She took her leaf headband out of her side table and tied it back around her forehead.

'_Good to have you back old friend_.' She thought as she put the sound one around her waist. She then jumped through the window and into one of the ops arms. This was in case anyone stopped them it would look like they were kidnapping her. As far as Masako was concerned it was fine. She fell asleep in a few short moments.

When she woke up she had expected to be in her sound apartment but soon recognized where she really was. She was still in her clothes so she quickly jumped out of bed brushed her hair and raced though the hallways to Gaara's office.

"Gaara-kun! I'm…" she said as she burst though the doors. Nobody was there.

"I thought for sure you'd be in here Gaara." She said sadly. She turned around and began to walk out the door when a familiar feeling wrapped it's self around her waist. Before she could respond she felt Gaara's strong arms wrapped around her.

"Welcome back Masako-chan." He whispered in her ear. He turned her around and they were so close she could feel his warm breath against her face.

"Glad to be back Gaara-kun." She beamed at him. Before they knew it they were in a full out kiss. Masako didn't want this kiss to end and apparently neither did Gaara because when they heard footsteps headed towards the office he shut the door with his sand. This only made Masako smile during the kiss. They heard the door knob turn but still didn't stop. Masako realized it then, she loved Gaara a lot. More then a brother, she had fallen in love with Gaara of the desert. "Alright Gaara!" Kankuro screamed and the two of them quickly pulled apart. Temari was with him,

"Well apparently Gaara's already welcomed you back." She said with a smile. Masako blushed and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"My turn to welcome you back!" Kankuro said. Masako looked up and he was going into kiss her. Then all she saw was sand.

"No way Kankuro. Find your own girl. I've got dibs on this one." Gaara said smiling at her. She smiled back.

Gaara put his sand back in his gourd and Masako said, "Well you guys I'm not here for long just a little until The Hokage says I can go home."

"We know." Kankuro said. "Just wanna milk the moments with you here." He said pulling her into a hug. Gaara looked angry but didn't do anything.

"My turn!" Temari exclaimed and pulled Masako out of Kankuro's arms and into her own. "Oh I missed you so much Masako!" Temari said as she squeezed the life out of Masako.

"Uh, I missed you to Temari, but I kinda need to breath." Masako said.

"Right. Sorry." Temari answered letting go of her. Then Gaara put his arm around her in a protective manner as he said, "Well, lets all catch up over lunch." Masako smiled. When they got to the dining hall everyone kept telling her,

"Welcome back." Masako wasn't aware so many people actually knew who she was. During lunch she told the three of them everything that happened in the sound village. They watched her intently not saying a word.

"Wow… that's wild." Kankuro said when she finished.

"Sure sounds exiting!" Temari commented.

"At least nobody hurt you," Gaara said "or I'd have a few more names to add to my hit list." He finished and smiled.

"Gaara seems out of his slump now that Masako's back. Eh, Kankuro?" Masako overheard Temari ask Kankuro.

"Definitely. I just hope he doesn't go back to it when she leaves." He answered back. A slump? Could that mean that Gaara loved her all along?

'_Don't worry yourself over that Masako. The important thing is that you love him now._' She thought to herself. Masako was well aware though that she'd have to soon leave and forget Gaara for the time being, it was never easy, but she'd done it with Tinnara for 5 years and Haku and Zabuza for 2 years. Haku and Zabuza were dead though so she tried not to think of them at all. She stayed with Gaara, Kankuro and Temari all day. Masako went to sleep that night very happy.

The next morning Gaara picked her up and walked her to breakfast. It was strange though he didn't say a word the entire way. Well, it wasn't all that strange but he usually said _something_. After breakfast Temari and Kankuro told her.

"The two of us are on our way to the leaf village. We'll take you there. Even if your Hokage's not okay with it. She'll have to deal." Kankuro said. Gaara was standing there when they left.

Masako gave him a kiss and he whispered in her ear, "Have a nice time in your _other_ home and don't restrict yourself because of me." Masako nodded and waved to him as she walked off with Kankuro and Temari. They didn't run into any troubles and were in Konaha before she knew it.

"Wait!" Masako exclaimed as she remembered that she needed to do something.

"This outta be good." Kankuro said as she ran off. Her deed didn't take long she was back within 10 minuets.

"What'd you do?" Kankuro asked.

"Oh nothing." Masako answered him smiling evilly.

"Come on we want to take you somewhere." Temari told her as they began to walk.

"I hope it's to the ramen bar. I'm starved!" Masako said hopefully.

"What do you do with all those calories?! You eat so much and yet you're still as tiny as a toothpick!" Kankuro exclaimed.

"Heh. What can say food just has no affect on me." Masako said smiling.

"Lucky." Temari murmured under her breath.

"We're here." She said a few minuets later. Masako knew exactly where they were.

"Wait here." Kankuro told her as he and Temari walked inside. Masako tried to listen in on the conversation but all she heard were muffled sounds and her stomach rumble.

'_That's it! I'm hungry. I'm going in_.' she thought.

"Got any food here?" She asked as she stepped through the door.

"Masako?" A girl with brown hair and pink streaks asked quietly.

"That's right! It's me Masako Uzamaki the one and only twin sister to Konaha's number one knuckle head ninja!" She said smiling.

"Hey!" Her brother Naruto said angrily.

"Haha. Sorry little bro but its true." She told him. He crossed his arms and began to pout.

"We're twins." He said.

"Yeah but I'm still older then you by three minuets, munchkin." Masako told him. Naruto was the shortest and, most likely, dumbest ninja in Konaha. It was hard to believe that they were twins. Masako was so much taller then him and _a lot_ smarter, but they had the same appearance.

"DON'T CALL ME MUNCHKIN!!" Naruto screamed at her. "Sheesh calm down. I was only joking." Masako told him. "Hello, Tinnara. Your best friend has finally returned after being gone for five years and she would very much appreciate a hu…" Masako was saying but got cut off by Tinnara running up and throwing her arms around her.

"You haven't changed that much have you Masako?" Tinnara asked her.

"Nah. My favorite past time is still the same, practical jokes all around!" Masako said then the two girls laughed.

'_Just like old times_.' Masako thought.

"I missed you so much Tin-Tin! I have so many things to tell you!" Masako announced.

"Tin-Tin? I'll have to remember that, un." A voice said then laughed.

"Hey, Tinnara… how come I wasn't informed about your new _boy_friend?" Masako asked Tinnara with a sly smile.

"He's not my boyfriend. He's my new neighbor." Tinnara said annoyed.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Deidara, un." He said putting his hand out for Masako to shake, she did.

"I'm Masako. As you can guess from my entrance." She laughed and so did he.

"Yeah I guessed, un." He said and smiled at Tinnara.

"He's cool I'm surprised your _not_ dating him Tinnara." Masako told her friend.

"Masako we gotta get back to the sand." Kankuro interrupted. "That's fine. Thanks for bringing me home." Masako told them as she gave the two of them hugs.

"Bye guys!" She said as they left.

"Now, Tinnara. Let's go and say hi to everyone and let them know that Masako Uzamaki is back!" Masako said.

"Right. Got it." Tinnara said with a laugh. All four of them left Tinnara's house then.

"Hey lets go see Sasuke first. Even though I know you hate him as much as I do, but it would be nice to say hi." Tinnara said.

"Yeah, about that…"Masako began. "Sasuke's kinda tied up in a closet right now and I swear that it wasn't me who did it. It also was _not_ me who told Sakura and Ino where he was. Nope. Wrong ninja." Masako said and Tinnara, Naruto and her burst out laughing.

"Nice one sis!" Naruto said as he high fived her.

"I don't get it, un." Deidara said.

"You wouldn't Deidara you've never met Sasuke." Tinnara informed him still laughing a little.

"So who are we going to see first then since Sasuke's out of the picture?" Masako asked.

"Uh…" Tinnara said wondering herself.

"Oh! I know!" Naruto called out. "How about Kiba?" Masako blushed even at the mention of his name.

"You still have a crush on him?" Tinnara asked.

"Yes." Masako answered

'_Don't worry Masako, Gaara told you it was okay_.' She reassured herself. "I can't wait!" Masako said jumping in the air.

"Well let's go then!" Tinnara said breaking into a run.


	3. Chapter 3

They all slowed down as they approached Kiba's house. Masako realized that she was shaking.

"You really like this boy, un?" Deidara asked her.

"Yeah." Masako answered him weakly.

"Well don't worry, you seem like a wonderful person and he would be crazy not to like you, un." Deidara told her with a smile.

"Thanks Deidara. You're not so bad yourself." Masako told him. '_He seems like a nice guy. I wonder what Tinnara has against him._' Masako thought. By the time she had snapped back to reality they were on Kiba's doorstep and Tinnara was knocking on the door.

"Quick, Masako. Hide behind Deidara." Tinnara told her. She did.

Masako heard the door open and Kiba say, "Oh, Hey Tinnara. What's up?"

"I have two people here to meet you!" Tinnara said happily.

"Well I already know Naruto, but who's the blonde guy?" Kiba asked her.

"This is my new neighbor Deidara." Tinnara told him.

"Hey Deidara. Tinnara if you haven't noticed that's only one person." Kiba told her.

"No there's one other." Tinnara told him and Masako could hear the smile in her voice. Deidara stepped aside and Kiba stood looking at her wide-eyed.

"M-masako?" He asked in astonishment.

"Yeah it's me. Hi Kiba." She said and smiled.

"Wow! I missed you so much!" He said as he pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you too Kiba." Masako said as she blinked away tears. "Hey, no crying. This is a happy moment." He said then before Masako could do anything he kissed her.

'_I seem to be getting a lot of surprise kisses lately_.' She thought. The kiss was just as enjoyable as her kiss with Gaara. He had given her his blessing before she left so Masako shouldn't feel at all guilty, but she did.

'_No, enjoy the moment. Gaara would want you to_.' She told herself and then she let herself just go with the flow and enjoy the kiss. Soon they heard an,

"Ahem." Come from the crowd around them.

"Sheesh. Don't you guys ever need to breath?" Naruto asked as they pulled apart.

"Naruto, you'll know when you finally get a kiss." Tinnara told him. Kiba and Masako were to busy smiling at each other to answer snide comments made by anybody.

Kiba pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "I've been waiting five years to tell you this Masako-chan. I love you."

"I love you too, Kiba-kun." Masako told him. She wasn't lying she had the same feelings for Kiba as she did Gaara and a few other guys. She couldn't help it they were all so sweet and they all loved her back.

"Awww." Tinnara said dreamily. "That is beyond cute!" Deidara just smirked at her and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off, "Say anything to ruin this moment Deidara and you'll be in the hospital for _months_ on end." Tinnara warned him. He wisely shut his mouth.

"Wanna come with us to show everyone else that I'm back Kiba?" Masako asked him.

"Will you be kissing any other guys?" He asked.

"Cheeks maybe but I don't think I can handle more then one full kiss a day." She answered him with a laugh. He put his hand around her shoulder and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Where to next?" Masako asked. Naruto and Tinnara just looked at her and shrugged.

"I know, un." Deidara said. "How about Kakashi-sensei, un."

"Yeah! Good idea Deidara! I haven't seen Kakashi in forever!" Masako said happily. They all walked to Kakashi's place and when they got there knocked on the door.

"I hope he's home." Tinnara said. They waited for a few minuets, but nobody came.

"Sorry Masako, I guess he's not around." Naruto said sadly.

"Who's not around?" a voice asked from behind them. They all turned to see Kakashi standing behind them reading his book.

"Still a book worm I see." Masako said with a laugh.

"I would normally assume that that cocky comment was coming from Naruto but judging by the girl's voice I have to say that it's his twin sister, Masako." He looked up from his book as he said her name. "Welcome back." He told her and even though she couldn't see his mouth, she could tell he was smiling.

"Glad to be back!" Masako told him as she gave him a hug. He gave a short laugh and hugged her back.

"Well, I've got some reading to do. I'll talk to you kids later." He said and walked inside his apartment.

"Does he always read that book?" Kiba asked.

"Yes." The other four answered in unison. They all started laughing.

"Deidara why don't you laugh more? This is the first time I've ever heard you laugh." Tinnara said. Deidara just shrugged.

"Can we go to Shino's now?" Masako asked when they were a little ways away from Kakashi's place.

"Sure. Whoever you want Masako-chan." Tinnara told her while giving her a hug.

"By the way, you can sleepover tonight if you want. I'm sure my mom would be fine with it." She finished.

"Okay, but you know Naruto would have to come too." Masako said and turned so that Naruto couldn't see her then stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes. Tinnara laughed and so did Kiba.

"Yeah. Of course." She said.

"Me too, un?" Deidara asked.

"Sure, but just for dinner." Tinnara said regretfully. Kiba eyed her with a begging look.

"Yes, you too Kiba." Tinnara said with a laugh.

"Cool." Kiba said with his signature smirk on his face.

"Nobody else though! And you and Deidara are only staying for dinner!" Tinnara told them forcefully. Just as they approached Shino's front door. Masako raised her fist to knock but the door swung open.

"Hello everyone. Welcome home Masako." He said and smiled at her. "Bugs told me." He said.

"Of course they did." Tinnara said. "Shino, this is Deidara." She said gesturing towards Deidara.

"Hello. I'm glad your back Masako. Why don't you come back over tomorrow around lunch, I'm training right now." He said.

"Sorry. Okay. Bye Shino." Masako said and they all left. It was around dinner by this time and they all went back to Tinnara's house like planned.

"Of course honey! Anything for you and your darling friends!" Tinnara's mom had answered when she asked. They all had a nice dinner and Tinnara seemed to not hate Deidara for once. After dinner was finished Kiba and Deidara went home.

Later that night:

Masako couldn't sleep. She knew that Gaara had told her to just have a nice time and not restrict herself because of him, but she felt like she was betraying him.

'_Just because your listening to him doesn't mean you don't love him_!' She told herself.

'_I have to stop. Gaara's not here right now. Enjoy Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru and everyone else while I can. I'll pick up with Gaara when I see him again_.' That was it. Masako had convinced herself.

"Mmmmmmhmm… Masako-chan you still awake?" Masako heard a tired voice ask.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Did I wake you bro?" She asked her little brother.

"Nah, but what's wrong?" Naruto asked her.

"Oh, you know… just… stuff." She answered.

"I know about Gaara." Naruto told her. She looked over to him.

"I knew Kankuro and Temari couldn't be trusted in a room with my friends and secrets…" Masako said.

"No… I guessed." He said. "Hey, it's okay. Gaara's not here now so enjoy your time here with your friends while you can… cause it might not be so long." He said.

"Thanks bro. Your right." Masako said laying her head on her pillow and slowly falling asleep.

The next morning after breakfast Naruto and Masako left Tinnara's.

"Don't forget about training later!" Tinnara yelled after them as they walked off.

"We won't! See ya later!" Masako screamed back. "Hey bro lets go home real quick. I wanna drop my stuff off before I go see what's up with Shino." Masako told Naruto.

"Sure." He said and led her back to the same house they'd always lived in.

"You haven't moved in 5 years?" She asked him.

"Nope. I like this house." He said and smiled at her.

"Your so funny bro." She said as she walked inside. She went into their old room which still had two beds. Masako threw her stuff onto her bed and left.

"I'll see you later at training Naruto! Don't forget!" She called to him as she ran towards Shino's. When she got closer she slowed. She walked up to his front door and like last time he opened it before she got a chance.

"Hey, so what'd you want me to come back for today?" Masako asked him.

"Well, maybe tonight, would you… like to go on a date with me?" He asked.

"Of course Shino! That'd be great!" She answered happily as she gave him a hug. "But would you mind if I decided where we went?" She asked after they broke apart from the hug.

"Isn't it customary for the man to choose?" He asked her and smiled.

"Yes, but could you make an exception this time? For me?" She asked him sweetly.

"Sure, I can't resist those eyes." He said.

"Awesome! I'll come over after my training today!" She said. "Speaking of training… I'm late!" She said running towards the training grounds. "See you later Shino!" She yelled.

She was huffing and puffing when she reached the training grounds. Everyone else was there except Kakashi.

"Dang it! I forgot that he's always late! I didn't need to run!" Masako said frustrated as she leaned against a fence post.

"It's alright. Better early then late." Said a voice from behind her. Sadly she recognized it.

"No one cares Sasuke." She said standing up and turning around to see the duck-butt hair styled wonder: Sasuke Uchicha.

"Oh come on. Masako don't hate me I have nothing but affection and respect for you." He said.

"Whoopdy- freaking- do for you." Masako said annoyed.

"Back off Sasuke. She hates you." Tinnara said a matter a factley walking up behind Masako.

"So true." Masako answered her with a laugh.

"So this is the Sasuke you tied up and left in a closet, un?" Deidara asked as he walked up to stand next to Masako.

"Yes, that's the one. In all his duck-butt hair styled glory." Masako answered.

"He seems okay to me, un." Deidara said obviously still confused.

"Oh Deidara… your hopeless." Tinnara told him as she and Masako walked off.

"Hello Masako-chan. Welcome back."

'_Oh, no… don't tell me_.' Masako thought as she slowly turned around. Yep, there was no doubting the green jumpsuit and ugly bowl cut, "Hello Lee." She said.

"Tenten, Neji, and I are training with all of you today." He said.

"Oh, joy… You _and_ Neji… Can't wait." She said then walked away with Tinnara.

"Uh! I totally hate him! He's sooo weird!" She whispered to Tinnara.

"I know, but we may get to fight them! That will be fun!" She whispered back. Masako giggled and nodded as Kakashi and, the not so famous, Might Guy asked for everyone's attention. '_Ugh! Might Guy freaks me out! He always calls me beautiful! It's creepy_!' Masako thought.

"Hello everyone. As you probably guessed squad 7 and Might Guy's squad are going to train together today." Kakashi said happily.

"We will do this by having you all fight one another." Might Guy said.

"Hey Masako." Sasuke whispered to her.

"Shut up Sasuke." Masako said then she added, "And in the words of my brother, 'You're a fag. Believe it!'" Masako told him and then realized that she'd said it a bit loud. Everyone was staring at her. Sasuke had a look of complete shock on his face and she couldn't help it. Tinnara was the only one that thought it was funny too and the two of them burst out laughing everyone still staring at them.

"Are you two done?" Kakashi asked from the front of the crowd.

"Um… yes… sorry Kakashi-sensei." Masako said still laughing a little.

"Thank you. Anyway, Neji will be fighting Sakura, Tinnara will be fighting Deidara, Masako will be fighting Sasuke and Naruto will be fighting Lee. The winners will face off another winner every time until we have an overall victor." He said. Masako and Tinnara shared a look of evil.

'_Haha! We both love our opponents_!' Masako thought.

"Neji and Sakura are first." Neji and Sakura walked into the ring.

"It is your destiny to lose this match. Sorry Sakura." Neji told her smiling.

"Whatever. You'll lose. Trust me." Sakura said.

'_No he won't Sakura. You will_.' Masako thought. She knew the result already. Neji wouldn't even break a sweat and Sakura would work her hardest. Until she had nothing left and turns out, Masako was right.

"Neji will go onto the next round." Kakashi said.

"Great job Neji!" Might Guy said in his creepy way. Neji rolled his eyes.

"The next fight is between Tinnara and Deidara." Kakashi announced.

'_This is about to get interesting_.' Masako thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Tinnara walked into the ring with a smirk on her face. "This is going to be fun." She said.

"I warn you Tinnara, I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl, un" Deidara told her smirking.

"Whatever. You're going down blondie." Tinnara told him.

"Way to go Tinnara! Kill him!" Masako shouted from the side. Tinnara gave her friend a smile and a thumbs up. Tinnara made the first move.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" She said and four more of her appeared to help. She had three of them go up and fight head-to-head with Deidara while one stayed back with her and did her special move. When she was ready Tinnara made all of the clones disappear and ran at Deidara screaming,

"Rasengan!" The Rasengan was the perfect move. Tinnara had made a smaller version of it so all it would do at max was knock Deidara out. It didn't knock him out but it knocked the wind out of him.

"I'm done, un" Deidara said as he walked out of the ring holding his side.

"Sorry Deidara, but you never stood a chance against me!" Tinnara shouted after him.

"Haha! You tell him Tinnara!" Masako said.

"Tinnara moves onto the next round." Kakashi said. "The next fight is between Sasuke and Masako." He finished.

"Two sharingans in one fight?" Masako said.

"This will be interesting." Tinnara finished her sentence.

"Don't worry I'll be sure to make it." Masako smiled at her friend.

"I'm here!! I'm here!!" Tenten screamed as she ran in.

"Sorry Tenten all of the fights have already been set. You'll have to just watch and think of what you'd do in the situation." Kakashi told Tenten.

"Okay." she said walking over to sit by _Neji_.

Masako walked into the ring singing, "_I'm gonna kill Sasuke hurrah, hurrah_." When she got to a point where she was facing him she closed her eyes. She had a little something up her sleeve that would blow everyone away.

"Begin." Kakashi said. Masako opened her eyes.

"What was the use of closing your eyes?" Sasuke asked her, his own red sharingan eyes gleaming in the afternoon light.

"Hmph. You'll find out soon enough." She answered. He moved towards her and stuck a kunai right through her chest. He smiled evilly but the smile was abruptly wiped off his face when the Masako he'd stabbed turned into a log.

'_Where'd she go_?' He thought frantically looking all around him. She was no where to be seen.

"Boo." He heard and whipped around to see her standing there. He quickly made ten shadow clones. They all began to fight her, but she ran straight through them and hit four of his chakra points,

"Right there." She said. He fell to the ground gasping for air.

"How?" He was short on air and couldn't finish the sentence.

"No sharingan. I know threw me through a loop too." She smiled down at him. "Weird how someone not even a member of the Uchicha clan can completely surpassed them." She continued in a loud voice so everyone to hear.

"This, Sasuke, is a level of sharingan that even your brother will never be able to achieve. I am the one soul holder of,"

'_Impossible_.' Kakashi was thinking

"The hidden sharingan." Masako finished. "It allows me to have out a sharingan but have my eyes appear the same." She told him as she jumped away.

"I'm not done yet." Sasuke said standing up.

"Heh. Neji this is for you!" Masako screamed. "8 trigrams, 64 palms!" She took a stance bending over one arm reaching for the ground the other stretched up towards the sky. Sasuke didn't stand a chance, he was too close.

"8 trigrams, 2 palms!" Masako said as she hit two chakra points on Sasuke's body. "4 palms!" She continued. "16 palms! 32 palms! 64 palms!" When she had finished the result was Sasuke laying on the ground gasping for air.

"Done." Masako said as she walked out of the ring.

"Masako goes onto the next round." Kakashi said as Sasuke walked out of the ring struggling.

"The next match is between Naruto and Lee." He finished.

"Bushy brows?!" Naruto asked walking into the ring. Lee walked into the ring too.

"Go Lee!" Might Guy shouted from the side as Masako and Tinnara both shuddered.

"Begin." Kakashi said and the boys began to fight. Lee did taijustu. Naruto lost almost immediately.

"Haha! Bro you lost to bushy brows!!" Masako teased him. "Whatever, shut up." Naruto said bitterly as he sat down.

"Lee will go on." Might Guy said as he gave Lee a creepy smile and a thumbs up. Lee was happy.

'_Freaks._' Masako thought.

"The next battle is between Tinnara and Lee." Kakashi said. "Or do you need a break, Lee?" Kakashi asked.

"No. I am fine." He answered and waited for Tinnara to walk into the ring.

'_Hmph. He's a close range fighter. I'm gonna be mean_.' Tinnara thought as she back flipped her way to the other side of the ring, as far away from Lee as possible.

"Begin." Kakashi said. Tinnara threw four of her sherken and Lee was down in a matter of seconds. He wasn't badly injured. "Tinnara will fight in the final round." Kakashi said. "Next fight is between Masako and Neji." He finished and Neji and Masako made their way to the ring.

"I liked the 8 trigrams move you pulled on Sasuke." Neji told her. "But it won't work on me."

"I don't plan it. This is gonna be short and sweet." She said.

"Begin." Kakashi said.

"Mangekyo sharingan!" She said and Neji had no time to look away and he was cast into Masako's world.

"Where am I?" He asked.

He couldn't see her but Masako's voice responded, "Why, Neji you're in my world, and you'll remain here for the next 96 hours." Then all Neji heard was her laugh of evil glee.

"Let's roll a clip… of the past." Her voice said again and Neji was automatically sent back in time to when his father was killed. He hadn't seen it himself but he got the "joy" of watching it for 96 hours. After they returned to the real world Neji lay on the ground screaming in horror at what he had just witnessed for only 2 seconds in the real world but for what had seemed like 96 hours to him.

"Masako! You shouldn't have used that on him!" Kakashi said angrily.

"He's fine. Watch." She told her sensei and sure enough Neji stopped and stood up.

"I'm done here." He said fine again.

"Kakashi I wouldn't hurt a comrade." Masako said to Kakashi. "Right sorry. Last round Masako and Tinnara." He finished. Masako smiled at her as Tinnara walked into the ring.

"It's always fun to battle you Tin-tin." Masako said.

"Like wise." Tinnara answered.

"Begin." Kakashi said and the two girls began to duke it out. They both started out with the usual, shadow clones, except Masako changed it up a little and used the mist technique of water clones. The fight dragged on and on. Masako wasn't using her sharingan she wasn't even going to consider it. Tinnara didn't have one and she was going to have a fair fight with her.

Eventually Masako just said, "I give up. Tinnara wins. I've got a date! Can't keep Shino waiting!" She ran away from the training grounds backwards because she was waving to all of her friends and, with her luck, she backed into someone.

"Sorry." She murmured turning around she saw Shino looking down at her.

"Hello. I was just on my way to watch you train." He said.

"Well, I'm done now." She said hugging him.

She grabbed one of his hands and pulled him off saying, "Come with me."

Meanwhile:

"A date with _Shino_?!" Lee and Sasuke said with the same level of shock.

"Well boys a beauty like her ought to look around. She's so youthful." Might Guy said and Tinnara shuddered for her friend.

"I've got to go to, un." Deidara said starting towards his house.

"We all should go home and get some rest." Kakashi said and everyone left except Tinnara.

"I'm gonna work on my medical techniques." She told Kakashi. "Okay, but don't work yourself too hard." He said and buried his nose in his book then left.

'_I've got to get a hold of these medical techniques! I don't know what's up, but I'll overcome it_.' Tinnara thought as she began.

"Here we are!" Masako said happily.

"The forest?" Shino asked confused. Masako just gave him a sweet smile as she got out her clarinet.

"I wrote this tune three weeks ago." She told him as she put her clarinet to her lips and blew. It was a beautiful song and as she played fireflies lite the area and butterflies with multi colored wings flew about them. Masako took a glance at Shino and saw the look of awe on his face. When Masako had finished her song she turned to him.

"Like it? I've been _dying _to show it to you!" Shino didn't say anything just pulled her close to him and kissed her. Masako refused to let thoughts of Gaara and Kiba enter her mind. She was with Shino now, and loving every second of it. Their kiss didn't last nearly as long as the others.

When they broke apart all Shino said was, "I hope that holds you for a while."

"What do you mean?" Masako asked him.

"My dad and I are going on a mission soon. After today I'm completely booked with training until we leave." He told her sadly. "Speaking of. Training at four am tomorrow. I've got to go." He finished. Masako gave him a hug.

"Train well and stay safe. The last thing I want is to lose you." She smiled at him. He nodded and left. Masako turned and began to walk towards home. She turned on her sharingan in case any dangers were about.

When she got home Naruto was already fast asleep. Seeing her sleeping twin made her realize how tried she was. She didn't even change into her pajamas just clasped on her bed and fell fast asleep. The next morning she woke with a jolt.

'_Creepy dream_.' she thought as she got out of bed and walked over to the mirror. She looked in and was expecting to see her vivid blue eyes but what she saw was her sharingan ones! "Shit!" she screamed and Naruto came skidding in from the bathroom with his toothbrush in his mouth and his pajamas still on.

"Wha' ifz ivt?!" He asked her.

"I slept with my sharingan on!" She said alarmed.

"Tha's ivt?" He asked a look of annoyance spreading across his face.

"No! Naruto hold up some fingers!" Masako commanded. Naruto sighed but obeyed.

"Three." Masako guessed.

"Yeah." Naruto said as he walked back into the bathroom.

"Aren't you happy? I'm not going blind!" Masako asked her brother as she joined him in the bathroom. She stuck her own toothbrush in her mouth as Naruto spit.

"Sick." She said spitting herself.

"What do you mean by 'blind'?" He asked her.

"If you leave your sharingan on too long you could go blind." She answered him walking back into the bedroom. She shut the door for a second then opened it again.

"I'm a speed dresser!" She smiled at her brother.

"Yeah, whatever. Move." He pushed past her.

"Cranky, much?" She teased. "I'm going over to Tinnara's." Masako told him as she left. She got to Tinnara's in no time. Tinnara's mom was standing outside talking to Sasuke.

'_Oh great_.' Masako thought as she rolled her eyes.

"Good morning Ms. Eguchi!" She said as she waved.

"Masako, have you seen Deidara or Tinnara lately?" Sasuke asked her.

"Not since last night. Why?" She questioned.

"They've both disappeared." He told her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Thank you ." Sasuke directed towards Tinnara's mom as he and Masako walked off.

"What happened after I left?" She asked him.

"Well, Kakashi sent everyone home, but Tinnara stayed after for some bonus training." He said.

"Now, Naruto, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Sakura, Might Guy and I are going on a retrieval mission." Kakashi said from behind them. They turned to see all the people he had listed standing next to him.

"What about us?" Sasuke asked.

"Whoever took Tinnara is probley looking for sharingan users. You two are sharingan users." Kakashi said.

"So are you." Sasuke pointed out.

"Yes but I'm also a joinin and you two just genin." He said as he smiled.

"What about Deidara?" Masako asked.

"Deidara probley saw the whole ordeal so they took him too." He said.

"Well I thought we'd just tell you so you guys weren't wondering where everyone went." He finished as they all left, but not before Lee had a chance to blow Masako a kiss, she gagged and Sasuke smiled.

"You don't like him." It was more of a statement then a question.

"Uh! I'd rather date _you_." She said disgusted. "Don't count on it." She added at his hopeful look.

"We still have to train you know." Sasuke told her.

"Yeah. I guess we have to train together. Let's go now." Masako said

"Okay." He said. They turned and started towards the training grounds they had been too the night before. When they got there they stood facing each other in the ring.

"It would be useless to fight. Cause I already kicked your butt!" Masako told him.

"Yeah…" Sasuke said slowly.

"Thinking _again_? Do too much of that and you'll hurt yourself." She told him with a laugh.

"Hmph. Why don't we train with Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Ino, Hinata and Shino?" He suggested.

"Shino can't and Ino just _no_." Masako told him.

"Fine." He said and they went off to collect everyone. She hadn't had a chance to say hi to Shikamaru or Choji yet so she gave them both hugs and kisses on their cheeks. When she gave Shikamaru his hug she pulled off his vest.

"Now _that's_ hot." She whispered in his ear. When she pulled away from him he threw his vest over his shoulder. They all got Kiba last.

"Could never say no to you." He told Masako. She smiled at him and picked Akamaru up as he trotted onto the porch his little tailing wagging wildly.

"Cutie's coming too." She announced as he licked her face. She put him down and gave Kiba a hug and a kiss like the others, but she pulled the hood of his parka down.

"I like it down." She whispered to him and he smirked.

"Let's go train in the forest." Sasuke said leading everyone in the direction of the forest. They all split up working on different techniques. One by one they all began to say bye and head home. Until only two remained: Sasuke and Masako. They were running up a tree using only their feet to hold themselves to its trunk. They were both on the same large tree and facing each other about half way up.

"This is stupid." Masako was complaining. "I mastered this when I was six, _and_ on my own!"

"We should do it to keep sharp." Sasuke told her. "You'll never know when you'll slip up." He finished. They stood in silence for a moment. The only sound was the wind rushing through the leaves. Suddenly Sasuke began to fall forward. He'd slipped up! He was going to fall from at least 100 feet up! He didn't go down though, just towards Masako. In the next instant his lips were against hers.

"EW!!!!!!!!!" She screamed pulling away from him and jumping off the trunk.

"NASTY!!!!!!!!!!" She hollered as she jumped through the forest to the nearest house. When she got there she knocked furiously on the door.

"SHIKAMARU!!" She screamed.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Masako heard him say.

He opened the door and said surprised, "Masako? What's up?" "Sasuke just kissed me!" She said sticking out her tongue.

"Good for him." He said as he began to close the door.

"No!" Masako shouted as she threw the door back opened and kissed him full on the lips. He was shocked at first, but then closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She was playing with his ponytail and, like earlier, she pulled off his vest so all he stood in was his fish net. He pulled her black t-shirt over her head and threw it on the ground. Doing so left her in only a red tank top and fish net. They pulled apart a few seconds later both a bit embarrassed about the slight stripping.

Masako pulled her shirt back on while saying, "There were two reasons for that kiss, 1) I had to get rid of the Sasuke germs. And 2)," She paused for a moment smiling. "I don't think I could've waited much longer."

"I'm glad you didn't." He said just as Sasuke jumped down next to her.

"Sorry." He whispered in her ear.

"I've got to go. Bye." She told Shikamaru he nodded and went back into the house.

"What?!" She yelled at Sasuke while starting towards her house.

"I'm sorry for what I did, back in the forest." He apologized.

"Yeah well… you wouldn't even need to apologize if you would've just never done it!" She told him. They were silent the rest of the way. When they reached her house he finally said, "I'll always love you, but I'll admire from a distance until it's returned." Masako didn't know what to say.

'_Sasuke really cares about me. Just as much as Gaara or Kiba, maybe I should…_' She turned around but Sasuke had already gone.

A few days later:

Masako had no idea where Sasuke was she couldn't find him so she had to train alone today.

'_I hope this disappearing act has no connection to my dream_.' She thought remembering back to the dream she'd had the night she left her sharingan on.

Kakashi's retrieval team had arrived back a few days ago with no luck retrieving Tinnara or Deidara. Masako walked into the forest she was going to work on her sherken a little today.

Meanwhile:

"Shikamaru. It is time for you to carry out your first mission as a Chunin." Tsunade told Shikamaru who was standing in front of her in her office.

"You have to get Sasuke back." She finished.

"Okay, but I'll need a team made up of highly trained Chunin and joinin." He told her.

"I'm sorry but that won't be possible all the Chunin are out on missions and since Oruchimaru's little stunt we need all the joinin here protecting the village. You'll have to gather a team of genin." She told him.

"Fine, anyone you recommend?" He asked.

"As a matter a fact, yes." She answered.

"Okay I've got _almost_ everyone I need." Shikamaru told the team he'd found.

"Who else?" Naruto asked him.

"Come on." Shikamaru said and they all set off towards the forest. Masako was up in a tree hanging upside down by her feet on a branch.

"This is for you Sasuke! I'm keeping sharp! Happy?!" She yelled at nothing.

"Masako? You up there?" she heard a voice ask.

"Yeah!" She said walking down the trunk. "You're up really early today Shikamaru." She told him as she reached the ground. "All of you are." She added smiling when she noticed Naruto, Choji, Neji, Kiba and Akamaru with him. Akamaru ran over to her as soon as her feet touched the ground and she picked him up.

"Good morning sweetie." He gave her a lick on the cheek.

"He likes you more then me…" Kiba said.

"You are aware that Sasuke left the village right?" Neji asked her.

"Yep… I had a dream about it a few nights ago and somehow… I just kinda _knew_ it would happen." They all stared at her.

'_She has a scary amount of chakra _and_ she physic_.' Shikamaru thought as he stared at the black necklace around her neck. It was shaped like a diamond and it stored at _least_ twelve years of chakra in it.

"Well did you know that we're the retrieval squad?" Shikamaru asked.

"No." Masako said as she put Akamaru down. "But I had a hunch." She smiled.

"If you decided to come we'll have you and Naruto. The nine tailed fox twins. We'll have Sasuke back in no time."

"I'll go." Masako said. They left the village shortly after.

Later:

"Do you see them?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes." Neji answered.

"Me too." Masako said.

"Looks like we caught them during nap time." Shikamaru said. "Where's Sasuke?" He asked.

"He's in the coffin." Masako said. Just then Sakon lifted his head and the next instant a kunai with three letter bombs hit the tree behind them. Shikamaru, Neji and Masako jumped away, but the explosion still left Shikamaru and Neji sprawled out in front of the sound ninja.

"And I thought I was fishing a snake out of the bushes," Sakon said, "but all I got was two mice."

"Let's not forget your friends." Kidomaru said as he used his webs to grab Naruto, Kiba and Choji from their hiding places by one of their ankles. Kiba threw a smoke bomb down and puff of purple left everyone unable to see.

"Throw all the smoke bombs you want." Kidomaru told them. "I've got you. These strings are practically invisible, but don't under estimate them they're strong." The smoke cleared away and Naruto, Kiba and Choji were on the ground.

"So that double trap you set was really a triple trap." Shikamaru stated.

"I guess that makes you the smart one." He finished.

"That makes you the dead one." Kidomaru said as he began to move towards them, but found that he couldn't move.

"Nice Shikamaru!" Naruto said. "You nailed them with your shadow possession jutsu."

"I wish I could take the credit." Shikamaru said.

"If not you then, who?" Naruto asked.

"Me." A voice came. Out of the bushes stepped the one and only.

"Masako?" Kidomaru asked confused.

You see, the morning after Masako's departure Kabuto had gone up to her room to tell her to leave before the transfer, but he found that she had already gone. He reported to everyone at breakfast that morning that she had died in her sleep and he buried the body. Oruchimaru had been furious but Kabuto was glad she was safe.

"Yep." Masako answered as she walked to stand by her squad. But none of the sound ninja moved.

"Aren't they supposed to move too?" Choji asked.

"Usually, but I've mastered an advanced technique of shadow possession that makes it so my captives only move when I will it." She said as she smiled evilly.

"Well, to bad for you, I've master that technique too." Sakon threw two sherken and Masako had to move sharply to dodge them losing her concentration and hold on them. Her shadow retreating back to her.

"Earth style!" Jirobo said as he slammed his fists into the ground. A wall of dirt formed a dome around the six leaf ninja.

"Damn it!" Masako said as she rammed into one of the sides. "I should've seen that coming." None of them knew what to do.

Kiba had tried once to tunnel through the wall but with no luck. He tried again later with Akamaru but, again, the wall healed it's self.

"I feel so weak." Naruto complained quietly. Neji looked over to him with his byankugan on and saw chakra flowing out of him in wisps. He looked over to Masako who was marking an X on the wall with a kunai.

"Masako," Neji said confused, but amazed. "How do you feel?" He asked. She turned to look at him.

"Fine," She answered. "I don't feel weak like all of you say and I haven't even used any of the chakra in my necklace." She finished as she thrust the kunai into the center of the X and walked over to him. "Why?" She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.

"For some reason I think the wall is incapable of absorbing your rare, black, chakra." He said and Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Choji looked up a serge of hope in their eyes.

"Hey, you out there." Shikamaru said standing up. "I want to talk to your leader. I have a proposition to make." The others just stared at him.


	6. Chapter 6

"How about you let us go and keep Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked their captor.

"No deal. I've never let a captive go before and I ain't starting now." Jirobo answered from outside.

"Well then," Shikamaru started, "how about you just let me go and keep the others? This whole ninja things a drag."

"If you ditch us now I'll ring your neck." Kiba promised him with a scowl.

"Kiba, for once in your life, shut up." Shikamaru told him.

"So this is how a leaf Chunin acts?" Jirobo asked from outside. "Will sacrifice his comrades to save himself? Pathetic."

"Hey, Shikamaru, you wanna take this outside?" Naruto asked. "How do you plan on doing that, idiot." Kiba asked him.

"What did you call me?!" Naruto asked angrily.

"Idiot, idiot!" Kiba answered and the two boys began to fight. "Stop!" Choji yelled.

"Yeah Naruto, Kiba, stop it." Masako said after him.

"What's Shikamaru doing? Meditating or something?" Naruto asked. Masako smiled. Shikamaru was squatting with his hands in an O shape.

"Kiba are you up to making one more hole in the wall behind Choji?" He asked after he opened his eyes and stood up.

"Uh, okay." Kiba answered lamely as Choji finished up the chips he had began to eat. Masako was in her thinking position: sitting, legs crossed, her hands forming a triangle just below her nose and her eyes closed.

"Tunneling fang!" Kiba said as he tunneled at the wall.

When he finished Neji said, "Yes, I see it."

"Mark it with your kunai." Shikamaru commanded.

"I can't." Neji told him.

"Why not?!" Shikamaru demanded.

"It's already been marked." Neji said and everyone turned to Masako who'd opened her eyes. She was smirking.

"You knew before?" Shikamaru asked surprised. All she did was nod.

"How come you didn't say something?" He asked.

"I'm not squad leader. It wasn't my place to speak." She answered dropping her head.

"Well," He said as he lifted her chin so she looked at him, "in my squad. Speak up." She smiled and nodded. From behind him Kiba, Neji and Choji twitched. He dropped his hand from her face and turned to Choji.

"Alright." He said and Choji turned into the human boulder. He slammed himself into the wall until it broke. They were all outside when the dome broke down into pure dirt again and they could clearly see Jirobo standing on the other side.

"Hidden sharingan." Masako whispered. Neji gave her a side glance as her once blood red sharingan eyes turned back into her ice blue ones.

'_This is the special sharingan that only she posses. This will be interesting_.' He thought as he concentrated back on the situation.

"All of you go ahead." Choji said and they all turned to look at him.

"What?" Naruto asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"If we all stay here and fight him we'll never catch up to them and risk losing Sasuke. Go I'll finish him off and catch up later." Choji said.

"Okay." Shikamaru said and everyone took off except Masako.

"Why are you still here?" Choji asked her. She smiled and gave him a hug.

"Stay safe." She said and with that she let go and caught up with the others.

"What was that about?" Shikamaru asked her as she jumped through the trees next to him.

"Just wishing him luck." She said. He smiled.

'_She's so strong and yet… she cares more then anyone I know_.' He thought.

They caught up with the sound ninja again, but this time Neji stayed to fight Kidomaru. Soon after they left Neji the four left caught up with then sound ninja again and Kiba fell along with Akamaru and Sakon. Shikamaru stayed and fought Tayuya as Naruto and Masako went in pursuit of their newest enemy.

"Hello Kimi. Long time no see." Masako said when Kimimaro arrived.

"I thought you were dead." He answered. "No matter." He finished as he took off with Sasuke's body. Naruto and Masako finally caught up with him in a meadow.

"Masako, you never told me you had a brother. _Or_ that you were a leaf ninja." Kimimaro said to her.

"There's a lot I never told you Kimimaro." She said with a scowl. Naruto and Masako fought their hardest but Kimimaro was strong.

"Go. You two have to get Sasuke." Lee said when he arrived to help.

"Lee. Thank you." Masako said before she and Naruto set off to get Sasuke who had gotten out of the coffin and was now moving on his own.

"Sasuke!" The twins yelled together at Sasuke who was standing on the other large statue of the other ninja. Masako's sharingan eyes were ablaze with rage. She jumped clear across the waterfall which separated the two statues and landed right in front of Sasuke.

"Clever," He said, "but not good enough." He finished as he punched her in the stomach making blood run from her mouth.

"I won't do it Sasuke." She told him.

"Come on. Unleash the curse mark. Let's see it." He said as he kicked her again and pinned her against the hard rock ground.

"No! Sasuke, if I unleash my curse mark. You'll be killed." She told him as she attempted to push him off her.

"You're strong I'll give you that much." He somewhat whispered in her ear. "But you'll never be stronger then me." This made Masako furious. The last thing you ever want to do is call her weak.

The charka from her necklace was gone in the blink of an eyes and a black aura appeared around her. She kicked Sasuke off and he flew to hit the rock wall over 100 feet away.

"That would have to be the stupidest thing you've ever said." She told him as she stood up. "But this fight is between you and Naruto. I won't intrude." She finished as her charka went back in her necklace and returned it to its black color.

"Have it your way." Sasuke said and he went towards Naruto. The boys fought for quite some time until Sasuke had Naruto and was about to kill him when Masako shouted,

"Sasuke no!!!!!!!"

"What happened to not intruding?" He asked as he turned to her.

"Screw it." She answered him darkly. "Sasuke you can't kill my brother." She continued blinking back tears.

"Why not? It's the only way I'll be able to kill my own." He said. "Sasuke, if you kill Naruto you'll be killing me and several other people as well!" Masako shouted.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked her.

"If Naruto dies or if I die then the part of the fox in the killed twin goes to the other one and reunites with its other part. It's only take 48 hours after that for the fox to build up its charka and regain its strength, then," She paused even at the thought of it; "it will kill the one it's in and destroy the village again."

"What if I just kill you both?" He asked.

"Then you'll only be letting the fox out quicker." She told him. "Only if our death is an honorable one will the fox be sealed forever behind the gate." She said.

"Honorable?" He questioned.

"Yeah, if we die protecting someone or someplace we care about." She answered. A stray tear fell from her eye.

"Sasuke, you know what it's like to be alone. Your brother bestowed that horrible fate on you, but consider yourself lucky, you've had the," She paused searching for the right word; "privilege, of having the love of a mother." She couldn't hold them back; the tears began to stream down Masako's cheeks.

"Naruto and I have never known what it's like to have a mother hold you in her arms and never want to let you go!" She screamed at him angrily.

"We don't know what it's like to have a mother tell us that she loves us! Naruto and I will never know what its like to have a father be proud of us! To tell us, 'good job.' But then again, we also will never know what its like to have all that just ripped away." She looked towards him, holding her brother in mid air ready to kill him.

"You've had it all ripped away Sasuke." She told him. He dropped the unconscious Naruto and she raced over to her brother. Masako felt a sharp pain to the back of her head then everything just went black. She woke up to trees flashing by.

"Hunnn… where am I?" She managed.

"You'll be okay, just rest." She heard Kakashi tell her. Masako tightened her grip and fell back into unconsciousness.

When she woke the second time a nurse was there and told that she could leave now that she was up. She got up and walked out of her room to find Shikamaru, Mama Tsunade and Temari. "Hello Masako. Feeling better?" Mama Tsunade asked her.

"Did we get Sasuke and Tinnara?" Masako asked.

"No, you didn't." Mama Tsunade answered her.

"Damn it!" Masako screamed as she punched the wall next to her.

"We'll send you back out as soon as you're all top again." Mama Tsunade told her.

"No, I'm getting Tinnara _now._" Masako said.

'_This isn't Masako… what's happened to her?_' Shikamaru, Tsunade and Temari all wondered. Something had changed inside Masako the instant she'd heard of Tinnara's disappearance.

'_It's just like I told Sasuke. I have _nothing_. No mother or father. I have my brother and Tinnara. That's it. And I'm getting Tinnara back; anyone who tries to stop me can consider themselves a dead man walking_.' Masako thought as she left the hospital. She took the one road out of the village. Rage fueling her. She could feel the rage flowing through her veins. If anyone crossed her at this point, they were mince meat.

"Think about what you're doing." Kakashi said from behind her.

"I did think." Masako answered him. "I thought about how one of the only people I care about is not with me right now. I'm going to fix that." She said turning to face him.

"Masako, you're not at your best right now. Wait a little." He said grabbing her shoulder.

"Go to hell Kakashi." She answered as she ran off. Kakashi just stood there and didn't try to stop her.

'_Even I couldn't stop her now._' He thought.

'_I'm coming Tinnara. I won't stop until you're home again. I'll die first!_' Masako thought as she went in pursuit of her best friend. 


	7. Chapter 7

'_I'm coming Tinnara and not a force in this world can stop me_.' Masako thought as she jumped through the trees at high speed. She'd figured it out. It didn't take long.

'_Deidara, the new kid on the block. Plus, Tinnara disappeared before she even had a chance to go home. Deidara already left_.' Masako thought angrily at the thought that, '_Deidara would take Tinnara back to the Akatsuki. And I'm gonna kill him_.' She promised herself. Then she saw it, full view, the Akatsuki headquarters.

"Give me Tinnara back!" Masako demanded as she pound furiously on what she was sure was a door. When it opened there stood a white haired man in a black cloak with red clouds on it.

"Leader Pein… this is embarrassing." He said as he opened the door wider. Doing so allowed Masako to see inside. What she saw was a shadowed figure, another gray haired man, and a blue haired women sitting at a table with cards in their hands.

"Oh… this is embarrassing Hiden." The shadowed figure said as he put his cards down and walked over to Hiden.

"How about you just pretend you never saw this and we'll close the door and do it again."

"No! I want her back." Masako said allowing her red sharingan eyes to show.

"Yeah… I'll just leave… by the way I won and I'll just take my money and go." The other gray haired man said as he grabbed the money from the table and ran off. The blue haired women looked over to his cards and compared them with everyone else's.

"Kakazu! You liar! You have the lowest amount!" She screamed as she chased after him.

"Who do you want back?" Pein asked Masako.

"Tinnara. Give her back, or do I have to kill you first?" She answered him darkly.

"That won't be necessary." Pein said.

'_Tinnara is that girl that Deidara got_.' He thought as he shouted, "Deidara get out here!" Just hearing his name gave Masako the sudden urge to kill the nearest person. Hiden saw it in her eyes and his own widened.

'_Scary child_.' He thought.

"Yes Leader sama, un?" Deidara asked as he came to a halt just inside the door. Masako pushed passed Hiden and grabbed Deidara's throat. She held him high up off the ground against the wall by nothing but his neck.

"Where's Tinnara?" She asked as she tightened her grip. Deidara was gasping for air and his face turning purple. She let go and he fell to the ground gapping for air.

"Don't play shit with me Deidara. Where is she?" Masako asked. "Not. Here, un." He managed.

"Then where?" She asked.

'_If he doesn't give me a good answer in the next second I'll just kill him._' She thought. Masako was pissed. She was determined to get Tinnara back and if she was dead, well then, all hell was going to break loose.

"The sound ninja stole her away just a few nights ago, un." He said standing up.

"You've got to be freaking kidding me!" Masako screamed. She grabbed Deidara again, but this time just by his shirt collar.

"I didn't know you were this strong, un." He commented.

"Rage fuels a lot in you and brings out the worst in people." She told him. Hearing what she just heard made her even angrier and it was happening, fast. Her part of the fox was taking over. Her eyes turned red and slit, like a cats and her teeth grew sharp and deadly. Red charka flowed out of her body.

"What's happening?" Deidara asked his eyes wide.

"Heh. My part of the fox is coming out, rage fueling it all the way!" She shouted as she dropped him to the ground. She fell into her thinking position and slowly the fox began to go back behind its seal and she turned back to normal.

'_Fox? Does this girl carry the nine tailed demon fox? I thought the blonde boy of the leaf did_.' Pein thought studying her. "You have a demon fox in you?" Pein asked her.

"Well, only half. My twin brother has the other half." She answered.

'_I see… they put it in two children because one may not be able to control it. No matter how strong the seal. Getting this fox may prove difficult_.' He thought.

"Deidara get your team together. You'll help this girl retrieve her friend." Pein told Deidara.

"Yes leader Sama, un." He answered as he scurried off to find his team.

"No! Just leave me alone Niko!!!!" A voice shouted and Itachi Uchicha walked by.

"Itachi? From the leaf?" Masako asked him.

"Yes." He said as he stopped in front of her. "You're the Masako girl. Sister to Naruto. Right?" He asked. Masako nodded.

"Itachi! Come on! I just wanna see what it's like!" A girl's voice screamed and Itachi took off. When the girl came running by Pein stopped her.

"Niko. Stay here. You're going on a mission." He told her.

"Coolness! It gets boring around here." She said. Masako looked at her closely, she had cat ears, black hair that curled out, and green cat slit eyes.

"What are you?" She accidentally asked covering her month as the words came out.

"No worries. I get that a lot." The cat girl smiled.

"I'm part cat. Yes, my ears are real." She finished. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Masako. Your mission involves helping me retrieve my friend from the sound." Masako said.

"Cool." Was all Niko said before Deidara walked in with a… boy? Masako wasn't sure, she couldn't see the face. All she saw was an orange mask and some wild black hair sticking out.

"Senpai? What's our mission?" The orange masked face said.

"We're helping this girl get her friend back, Tobi, un." Deidara answered pointing at Masako.

"Good, they found you, un." Deidara said to Niko. She smiled at him.

"Deidara lets just go." She answered him.

"Fine, un." He said and they all left.

"Who are you?" Tobi asked as they all jumped through the trees towards the sound.

"Me?" Masako asked pointing to herself. Tobi nodded.

"I'm Masako." She said.

"Okay! Did you know that Tobi's a good boy?" He asked her.

"Uh, no." She answered him.

"Don't mind him. He's nice but sometimes…" Niko started but Deidara finished her sentence, "You have an undying urge to ring his neck, un…"

"Or stab him with a katana." They both finished together and began laughing.

'They get along well… this could help or hinder our mission.' Masako thought.

'Tobi's a good boy. Tobi's a _really_ good boy. Tobi's a _really really_ good boy!' Tobi thought to himself as they jumped through the trees.

Meanwhile back in the leaf:

"Could you stop her Kakashi?" Tsunade asked as Kakashi walked into the hospital.

"No, she's so determined. I'm even incapable of stopping her." He answered as he walked into Naruto's room.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei. Where's Masako?" Naruto asked him tiredly as Kakashi walked in.

"She went to get Tinnara. I don't really know where she is." He answered as he sat down on the side of Naruto's bed.

"What?" Kiba said attempting to sit up but pain made him stay down.

"Why would she do such a thing?" He asked.

"Because," Shikamaru said walking in. "She's wise and knows the way of our village, never give up on a comrade. Masako's truly amazing that way. She's strong and everyone knows she could kill them in a single blow but," He paused the image of her smiling face in his mind. A tear fell from one of his eyes. "She cares, and when it comes down to helping a comrade, nothing will stop her." Kiba stared at him and nodded in agreement.

"You really think that of my sister?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru nodded and so did Kiba.

"All this time I knew she was great, but I never really thought of her that way. The first time we met after so many years I was ecstatic but I didn't act it. I took her for granite." He looked down to Sasuke's scratched headband which lay in his lap.

"Maybe if I would've treated them both better, none of this would never have happened." His tears fell onto the headband and on his hand.

"No Naruto, no matter what you did this would've happened. In another way, maybe but the same plot. It's just how it works." Kakashi told him.

They all were silent wondering the same thing, 'Will Masako come back?'

"There it is." Masako said. She could see the hill, like the first time she'd arrived in the sound.

'The sound village is just over that hill." She said.

"How do you know this?" Niko asked her. Masako pointed to her sound headband around her waist.

"I've been before." Niko nodded and they made there way over the hill.

'The sound ninja five are all dead; we've got nothing to worry about.' She thought as she turned on her hidden sharingan. She led them to the building where she'd met Oruchimaru before.

"Masako, you've come back." She heard his voice.

"No, I just want Tinnara!" Masako screamed. She looked over to her left collar bone; it was glowing bright red through her black shirt. The curse mark was begging her to let it lose.

"I see you've still got the curse mark. To bad you have no idea how to use it." Oruchimaru laughed as the room lite. He was sitting in a chair, next to him stood Kabuto.

"Fight." Was the one word Oruchimaru muttered and Kabuto lunged for her.

"This special medical technique can paralyze all your limbs and if it hits the heart, you're dead." He told her as he hit both her legs. She clasped to the ground.

"Kabuto, I'm not an idiot." She said as she used her own black charka to heal her legs. She stood back up.

"Why don't you just leave now I mean, come on, Tinnara's dead." He told her.

"What…?" Masako asked as she backed away. It was happening and she let it. The curse mark spread through out her body leaving strange black markings. Her skin grew darker and her hair longer, her nails grew sharp as did her teeth, her eyes turned yellow, and horns sprouted from her head.

"Ha! You can only stay like that for so long." Kabuto said.

"You'd like to think that huh?" She asked. "But, I've study the curse mark since the day I've had it and I can stay like this for as long as I want without the worry of my charka being drained or my body being taken over." She said as she laughed evilly. Kabuto was knocked out on the ground in a matter of seconds.

"Tinnara's not dead, I can tell." Masako told Kabuto's unconscious body as she turned back to normal. Deidara, Tobi and Niko stared at her.

"Let's go and get Tinnara." She said and they followed her to Kabuto's office. When they walked in Tinnara had a look of murder in her eyes.

"I've got sharingan now too." Was all Tinnara told her friend before she passed out. Deidara ran over and caught her.

"Apparently I'll have to teach you about it." Masako smiled at her friend. "Let's go home." She finished and they all set back out towards the Akatsuki headquarters.

"Back so soon?" Pein asked when they arrived.

"They're weak." Masako said.

"No, they're fine, you're just scary strong, un." Deidara said as he walked in. Tinnara had woken up a few hours ago and was walking now.

"We'll be headed back to our village then." She said.

"Thanks for helping me." Masako told them as the two girls left.

"Why did you come alone?" Tinnara asked Masako as they walked towards the hospital. They'd got back to the leaf in no time.

"All the others are hurt right now. I'm the only one with no injuries." She answered.

"Oh. I'm going to go home and see my mom." Tinnara said as she took as sharp turn and ran off. When Masako made it to the hospital she ran straight to her brother's room.

"Naruto!" She screamed as she burst through the door, but no one was there. She checked Neji and Choji's rooms too, nothing. She checked their houses but nobody was home. She went to tell Mama Tsunade but even she wasn't there. "Somebody's gonna die." She said to herself. "And I'll be the executioner."


	8. Chapter 8

She went to Tinnara's house where she said she'd be.

'If I lose you again Tinnara I'll be beyond pissed.' Masako thought as she quickened her pace. As she ran through the streets to Tinnara's there was nobody. She checked every nook and cranny but nobody was around.

'This is odd.' She thought. She went to Tinnara's but she wasn't there.

"Somebody's _so_ dead!" Masako shouted as she set off to the sand.

"I can seek help from Gaara, Kankuro and Temari." Masako said. She was in the sand before she knew it. She ran straight to Gaara's office completely ignoring everything around her. She burst into his office and he was sitting behind his desk.

"Masako? What's up?" He asked.

"My entire village has gone missing." She told him as she ran over and fell into his arms.

"Gaara. I never cry, but lately it seems like twelve years of tears have just been streaming out." She cried into his shoulder.

"Hey, what's all the…" Kankuro said as he walked in, but then noticed Masako crying into Gaara's shoulder.

"What happened? I thought you were physically incapable of crying Masako." He said.

"My entire village is missing. Even my Hokage. And Tinnara, who I _just_ brought home, is gone now too." She said wiping away her tears. Kankuro walked over to her and patted her shoulder.

"It's okay we'll help you fix this." Gaara said holding her.

'I never want to let her go. It's torture to watch her leave.' He thought as he stroked her hair.

"Gaara, I'm sorry." She apologized.

"What do you mean?" He asked pulling away a little so he could see her face.

"While I was gone I kissed other guys." She said more tears streaking down her cheeks.

"I told you it was okay before you left…" He said ", but I _really_ wish you wouldn't have told me that." He finished as he pushed her gently towards Kankuro.

"Damn it! I'm sorry!" Masako said as she stood up. "I always screw everything up." She continued as she ran towards the door but it shut and locked. She hit her head against it on purpose and slid down to the ground. She was crying hard.

'My life's a mess. I feel out of control, and that makes it worse.' She thought as she took a kunai out of her pocket.

"Masako no!" Kankuro and Gaara yelled as she thrust it into her heart, but at the last second Gaara changed its course and it missed her heart. She spit blood out of her month.

"What the hell are you thinking?" He asked her as he picked her up.

"Come on Kankuro we have to take her to the medical ward."

"I'm sorry Gaara, but know this, I…" She started but passed out.

"I understand." He said as a tear fell from one of his eyes. It landed on her face and made a streak down one of her bloody cheeks. When they got to the medical ward he put her down in one of the beds.

"She attempted suicide. I'll be keeping her ninja tools with me." He told the nurse and she nodded and began to address the wound. Gaara took Masako's sand holders off and her ninja tools out of her pocket.

"I'll come back everyday." He told the nurse. Then he walked out of the room.

'Why'd I say something so stupid? She practically killed herself because of what I did. I need to keep her close, now of all times.' Gaara thought to himself.

Meanwhile:

"Let us out!" Kiba screamed as he pound at the wall again.

"They're not going to let us out Kiba, give it up." Shikamaru said from his place on the ground in the corner.

"I wish my sister was here. She'd know what to do." Naruto said and even though she couldn't see him Tinnara knew he was crying.

"Naruto, look at me." She told him he did and he was cast into her Mangekyo sharingan.

"Why'd you put me in here?" He asked.

"We weren't going to get any privacy otherwise." She answered him walking out of the shadows.

"Naruto, if you call upon the fox you may be able to get pissed enough to get us out, but you'll need motivation so…" She told him, "Sorry but this is my only option, torture." Suddenly, Naruto saw clips and pictures of things that had never happened but they seemed so real, they were clips of his sister and comrades being killed. After the 72 hours in the Mangekyo were over Naruto was pissed. He began to claw and every wall and bar. The others dogging his every blow.

"What did you do?" Kiba asked Tinnara.

"I showed him clips of his loved ones dieing." She answered. 'She used the Mangekyo on him just like Masako did me.' Neji thought. Soon after Naruto started he ended and left them with a _huge_ hole in the wall.

"Alright, let's go." Kiba said as he walked out and the others all joined him.

"I wonder if Masako's okay." Tinnara said as she turned on her new sharingan eyes.

Masako was running at full speed towards him.

"Sasuke!" She shouted. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi were with him, but no matter how hard she ran, no matter how many steps she took, Masako never got any closer to them. All her comrades were there now, Gaara, Kiba, and Shino. Even Guy and Lee. Ino, Hinata, Zabuza even Haku. All the people she would die to save. They were getting closer now as she ran faster. She finally reached them, but all that lay around her were their dead corpses. She fell to her knees and started crying.

Gaara looked over to heart monitor. It was beating fast. He was sitting by sleeping Masako. She was crying and sweating. "Is this normal?" He asked the nurse.

"Well, she's been having horrible nightmares lately. She woke up yesterday after you left and told me a little about one." She answered.

"How come I wasn't informed?" He asked her as he stroked Masako's hair.

"You were in a meeting." The nurse answered sheepishly.

"It doesn't matter. Next time she wakes I am to be notified immediately." He said as he stood up.

'It's been torture these last few days, all I need to see is your smile.' He thought as he looked at her sleeping body. The place where she'd stabbed herself only a day before was already beginning to get better, 'Apparently the fox doesn't like an injured host.' Gaara thought as he left the medical ward.

"Let's go now." He said to Kankuro when he got outside.

"Okay." Kankuro answered. The two of them were going to go to the sound and find out what was happening with Masako's disappearing village.

A few weeks later:

Masako was better now and she had the entire story. Everyday while she was injured Gaara had come on hopes that she would wake up, but she never did. She never remembered waking up not even the time when she supposedly told the nurse one of her scary dreams. Those she remembered, all her comrades just being dead around her. She shivered at the memories. She was on her way to the sound to help Gaara and Kankuro help her.

"You can't! You're still not completely better!" The nurse protested.

"I'm well enough. I'm the girl with the fox in me. I heal freaky fast. I'm fine." Masako said as she left.

"But…" The nurse began but Masako cut her off.

"No, I need to do this. I need to tell Gaara something." She said and smiled. The nurse nodded and let Masako leave. 'Gaara-kun, you have no idea. The other guys I kissed were nice and I enjoyed it, but… I couldn't stop thinking about you the entire time. I love you Gaara.' Masako thought as she ran towards the sound as fast as she could. She made it to the sound pretty fast.

'Ha! Kabuto's still hurt from our last fight! He won't be able to face me!' She thought as she smiled evilly.

"You must have a connection with the sound. You keep coming back." Oruchimaru's voice said from behind her.

"No… you just keep taking my friends." She answered as she turned around. He just smiled evilly and used his tongue to lift her up in the air by her neck.

"Hey, beautiful daughter, come here." He said and Tinnara walked out. She looked a lot like him she even had the snake eyes.

"Tinnara?" Masako asked in a small voice. Oruchimaru was strangling her slowly.

"Yes." She answered.

"You're not Tinnara." Masako said. "Shame, shame Oruchimaru. You should've made your clone a little more affective, or at least life like." She finished as she let the curse mark spread across her face. She easily got out of Oruchimaru's tongues hold. She chucked a shrunken at Tinnara and as soon as it hit her she exploded.

"Very good, did you need the sharingan for that?" Oruchimaru asked.

"No, an idiot could've figured that out." She answered scowling.

"Well then, let's make this a quick and simple fight." He said.

"What? I have to battle you?" She asked.

"What? Are you afraid of failure?" He asked.

"No. I don't want to hurt you." She answered.

'Damn. How the hell am I going to beat a legendary sennin?' Masako thought.

"Let us begin." He said and she jumped away as he lunged his tongue at her.

'Hidden sharingan.' Masako thought and her sharingan came on, but only another sharingan could tell.

"Mind control, verse fourteen." Masako said as she took out her clarinet. She began to play a song. On any normal opponent it would control their mind and give her control, but nothing was happening with Oruchimaru.

He laughed, "Don't even bother trying that."

"Fine." She said as she put it away. She made a few fast hand signs and when she was done jumped in the air and screamed, "Fire style! Gonkakyu no Jutsu! Fireball technique!" A giant fireball shot from her mouth. She landed convinced that Oruchimaru was dead.

"Not quite!" he screamed as he ran out of the smoke and towards her with a kunai in hand.

'Looks like this is it.' She thought. 'If I could find away to retreat…' Masako smiled at the realization of the logic. She retreated into her body. She stood by the large gate and behind it she saw the eyes of the nine-tailed fox staring at her.


	9. Chapter 9

"What happened to you this time?" The nine-tailed fox asked Masako.

"I didn't do anything! I'm just retreating. Oruchimaru's trying to kill me." She told it as she crossed her arms. "By coming behind here I'm safe, well, mostly. I didn't get a whole lot of time to think it out." She admitted.

"I always thought you'd be the smarter one." Said a voice from behind her.

"Father!" Masako screamed as she turned and ran to the Fourth Hokage and gave him a hug.

"I thought only the fox was down here." She told him.

"Well, since it's my seal I can come here too." He answered as he stroked her hair. He pushed her away slightly so he could see her face.

"You have your mother's sharingan, right?" He asked. She nodded as she turned it on.

"Beautiful. Hidden too?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered. "Father, if you don't mind me asking, why did you seal the fox in me and Naruto?" Masako asked.

"Well, I didn't want to hurt anyone else's child and your mother had already died and I knew I was going to. Plus, I knew you two could handle it better then anyone." He said and smiled at her.

"Don't you like the power I can supply you?" The fox asked from behind its seal. "I've even saved your life on more then one occasion." It finished.

"And I'm grateful for that, really. But having to battle you and Oruchimaru's curse mark is hard." She said.

"Which curse mark?" Her father asked.

"Death." Masako said simply.

He scowled, "He gave the Death curse mark to a twelve year old girl? What an idiot. I'm surprised you can handle it. Do you know how powerful that mark is?" He asked her.

"Yes. I've researched it ever since the day I got it." She said.

"Of course you have." The fox said. "Masako you're smart and I'm honored to have you as a host." It finished.

She smiled towards the seal, "Thank you."

"You've been stabbed. I'll heal it." The fox said.

"Thanks." Masako answered it. She felt a slight sting in her chest.

"He stabbed my heart?" She asked.

"Yes, but it's already beginning to heal over. You'll be fine." The fox answered her.

"You're brilliant Masako, smart, beautiful and probley a better ninja then me." Her father smiled at her.

"You were Hokage. There's no way I'm better." She answered.

"Yes, your father was Hokage but Masako; even I think you're great. Very powerful." The fox complimented from behind the big gate.

"By the way," It continued, "you can go back out now. The wound is healed and everyone thinks your dead. Your friends arrived a few minuets ago. Would you like my help?"

"Yes, I would. Let's give them a show." She answered smiling evilly.

'_Strong, but scary_.' The Hokage thought as he slowly disappeared.

"Ready when you are." The fox said.

"Alright. I'm gone." Masako said as she let herself float out from behind the seal. When she opened her eyes everyone was staring at her. The fox hadn't lied, all her comrades and a bunch of sound ninja had appeared. She tapped one of her teeth; it was as sharp as a knife.

"Excellent." She hissed.

"I just saw you take a kunai to the heart! I thought you were dead!" Naruto said in amazement.

"I retreated behind my seal before the blow, it was nice." She answered standing up.

"Hey bro, let your inner demon loose." She directed towards Naruto.

"Right!" He said as he went to stand by her. Suddenly, he transformed, his finger nails grew sharp, his eyes red and slit, and his teeth grew sharp and resembled knives.

"Let's do this." He growled, red charka flowing from his body just like his sister's.

"Fox by fox! Ultimate demon team!" They screamed together. The twins both charged at the sound ninja. They ripped random faces with their claws and knocked out random people with a punch of their fists. The only thing they needed to see to give them the right to kill someone was the sound ninja headband, then, they were toast.

"Kiba, do fang over fang!" Masako commanded as she knocked out another guy.

"Tinnara, turn on your sharingan and watch Kiba!" Tinnara nodded and the two girls watched closely as Kiba and Akamaru did fang over fang.

"Got it?" Masako asked when they were done.

"I think so." Tinnara answered.

"Well, then…" Masako said as she took the stance which Kiba did and Tinnara jumped on her back.

"Man beast clone! Man beast ultimate taijustu! Fang over fang!" The girls screamed as they copied the move which Kiba had just done. After they were done about ten sound ninja lay dead on the ground. Masako smiled.

"Naruto! Let's go!" She shouted. Naruto ran to her as fast as possible.

"You're finished." They growled together. All they did then was rip out with their claws. Oruchimaru fell to the ground bleeding badly, but it wasn't Oruchimaru. The person had transformed into him.

"I saved Lord Oruchimaru's li…" The person began but was cut off by Masako kicking them in the head.

"Shut the hell up." She said angrily. "He got away!" She shouted as loud as she could. The fox had gone back and she was back to normal, so was Naruto. Her curse mark spread across half her face. The strange black design causing everyone to stare at her.

"Have none of you every seen somebody yell before?!" She asked angrily. Masako quickly realized why they were staring at her, "Freaking curse mark!" She screamed. She sat down in her thinking position and the curse mark went back to its place on her left collarbone.

"What was that?" Lee asked.

"That, my friends, was the Death curse mark. When I was in the sound Oruchimaru bit me and left it there. Just like he did to Sasuke accept mines far stronger then any other curse mark. Only one curse mark can match mines power, that's the Hell curse mark." She said.

"Masako…" Tinnara said stepping forward slowly. Masako turned to look at her.

"That's my curse mark…" She pulled down her shirt a little and Masako stared at it.

"Tinnara that makes us the ultimate team. If we work together with our curse marks unleashed the person fighting us is screwed." Tinnara nodded.

"Dad told me."

"Dad?" Everyone asked except Masako.

'_You weren't kidding about the whole daughter thing earlier apparently Oruchimaru.'_ She thought to herself. "Oruchimaru's my father." Tinnara said as she dropped her head. Everyone just stared at her in disbelief and disgust. "Masako, why aren't you surprised at all?" Tinnara asked her best friend.

"'Daddy' told me earlier." She answered.

"How are you related to him? You look nothing alike!" Naruto asked.

"I must take more after my mom. Luckily." Tinnara answered. Masako gave a short laugh.

"So is this all of you?" She asked.

"No, everyone else is probley back to the village by now, well, everyone except…" Kiba began but stopped looking at Tinnara. "My mom. Oruchimaru killed her." She said as tears welled up in her eyes. Masako gave her friend a hug.

"Let's go home guys." She said still holding Tinnara. Everyone nodded and they set off towards home.

"Hey, if it's to hard to live at home, or lonely, your welcome to come live with me and Naruto." Masako told Tinnara.

She nodded, "Thanks, that'd be great." Masako smiled. 'Welcome to the pain of loneliness, Tinnara. It's just beginning.' Masako thought as she reflected on her own pain.

Seven years ago:

Masako was sitting on the swing in the park. The other kids were going to get picked up any minuet now. Shikamaru was sitting on the slide. He never went down just sat in the middle. "Hey, Shikamaru." Little Masako said as she walked over to the slide.

"Could you go down so I can go down?" She asked.

"You're so troublesome." He answered as he slide down. She stuck her tongue out at him as she climbed to the top and slide down.

"Bye Masako, my moms here." Shikamaru said when she got to the bottom.

"Oh… bye." Masako answered looking to the ground.

"See you tomorrow in school." He said as he left. Shikamaru was always the last to leave. He liked to hang around and keep Masako company.

"Yeah, see you." She said quietly as he walked off with his mom. Masako sighed.

"I wish I had a mom and dad to go home to." Then it started to rain. She didn't feel like going to her temporary home with the Third Hokage.

'_It's not my home. I don't belong._' Was what she always told herself. She walked over to the slide and sat down underneath it. Right now was the part where most kids would start crying, but Masako never cried, not even as a baby. She never remembered crying and nobody ever remembered seeing her cry.

"Why don't you just go home? There's no use just sitting under the slide till morning." A voice said from outside. Masako poked her head out from under the slide and there stood little Sasuke.

"Hi Sasuke. Wanna come under here too? You look wet." She smiled. He went under and sat next to her.

"Why don't you go home? The Third Hokage gladly accepted you into his home." He asked.

"Yeah, but that's not my home. Sasuke, the only place I can call home is when I'm with… Naruto. I don't know why… I just feel… safe when I'm with him." Sasuke nodded.

"I'll go home though Sasuke. No use in worrying the Hokage." She smiled at him.

"Right." He said as he got out from under the slide.

"See you in school tomorrow." He said as she walked off. 'You're a good friend Sasuke.' Masako thought to herself as she ran towards her temporary home.

'Yeah, Sasuke, what a good friend. Run off to Oruchimaru! That's what the best of friends do!' Masako thought. She had pulled herself out of her thoughts and they were in the leaf. Naruto was in his bed asleep and she was sitting up in hers. Tinnara was in the spare bed they had in there room, sound asleep.

'Glad your comfy Tin-tin.' Masako thought smiling at her friend. She climbed out of bed realizing that she wasn't tired at all. She went over to the balcony and stood outside leaning over the railing. Konaha spread out before her.

'Everyone's home, except you Sasuke.' She thought. Tears began to weal up in her eyes.

'I should've intervened! I should have helped Naruto fight you instead of begin an idiot and letting you duke it out like last time!' She thought angrily as the tears streamed down her cheeks, but she was more mad at herself then at Sasuke.

'I never really liked you Sasuke… when we were little I would always be nice to you, but I hated how I never got a chance to challenge you in exams or tests. I couldn't draw attention to myself.' Masako just stood on the balcony until all her tears were dried up then she walked back inside.

"What was that about?" She heard a voice ask from behind her. She turned around and there stood Shikamaru.

"Nothing, just… thinking." She answered.

"Come here." He said and she walked back out onto the balcony where he was.

"You were thinking back to when you were little, huh?" He asked when she stood next to him. She just looked out to the view of the village not answering.

"Tinnara's going to experience the same pain you've felt your entire life. It will be more like Sasuke's pain though, then yours or Naruto's. Sasuke and Tinnara got their loved ones taken away when you and Naruto never even had them." He said.

"I know! I know! I've never had parents! I've never felt the love of a mother! I know…" Masako screamed, she turned away while she said the last 'I know', she was crying.

"I still know the same pain, if not worse, the most we can do is have Tinnara live on and off with all of us." She said.

"Yeah, we can do that." Shikamaru said.

"Shikamaru, when Naruto fought Sasuke, before Sasuke left, I had to tell him about Naruto and my pain… I've never had a mother hug me or a father be proud of me." She said her head dropping.

"I found this in Lady Hokage's office. You may want to read it." Shikamaru said as he thrust something into her hand than he left. She looked down at what he had given her. It was a file.

On the front in big red letters it said, "Masako Uzamaki. Secret files: DO NOT TOUCH."


	10. Chapter 10

'What? Secret files? On me?' Masako thought as she stared at what was in her hands. She slowly walked inside and sat down on her bed. She checked to make sure the others were asleep then opened the file up. Inside there were pictures of the Fourth Hokage, and another women that looked like she was an Uchicha.

'Mom and dad.' Masako thought as she looked at the pictures. She saw photos of Naruto and her. There were also photos of her in every village she'd ever been in and pictures of her at the Chunin exams.

'Sheesh, do they stalk me?' She wondered. There was also a photo of an older boy.

'Obito. It says here that he's my older brother… It also said that he's dead, but it's questionable. In almost every picture of him he's with Kakashi. I wonder…' She thought staring at the pictures of her older brother.

'I hope your still alive brother.' Masako thought to herself.

'I guess I can't show this to Naruto. He would flip and try to find Obito.' She thought as she closed the file and put it in her side table. She lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. She had a lot to digest. The next morning Masako woke up to Tinnara staring at her.

"Good morning." She said sleepily to her friend.

"Hey, Shikamaru said I could stay with him tonight cool huh?" Tinnara said.

"Yeah, very." Masako answered as she changed into her clothes.

"Yeah, well, it gave me an idea; I could switch around and live with all my friends so I'm not to intruding on one." Tinnara said looking down.

"Tin-tin," Masako started, "You're not intruding to any of us, but that is a good idea." Tinnara smiled.

"Well, have fun with Shikamaru today. I've got some business to take care of." Masako said as she grabbed the picture of Obito and left.

'I wonder if Kakashi's still home.' Masako thought as she made her way to his apartment. She knocked on the door when she got there and listened carefully for footsteps.

"Dang." She said as she walked away.

'Where else would Kakashi be in the morning?' She thought questionably. Then she got an idea and broke into a run.

'I was right!' She thought happily as she could recognize the back of his head anywhere.

'Thanks for being an individual sensei.' She smiled as she walked over to the ramen bar and sat down next to him. "Hello, Masako. Would you like a bowl?" The ramen bar man asked.

"No thanks, I'm good." She answered him with a smile.

"Good morning, Masako. What brings you here?" Kakashi asked from behind his book.

"Boy that was a stupid question." He said as he closed his book and looked at her. She smiled.

"I wanted to ask you something sensei." Masako started. Kakashi was still looking at her.

"Do you recognize this guy?" She asked as she held up the picture of Obito. Kakashi got a sad look in his eye.

"Yes, we were best friends. Why?" He asked.

"Shikamaru brought me secret files on my life last night and it says that this man is… my brother." Kakashi's eye widened. "Obito was your brother… You are aware that he's dead, right?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, it said so in the files but it also said it was questionable." She answered.

"No, he's dead. I watched him die." Kakashi said.

"Well, that may be true, but I'm going to keep an opened mind and say he may or may not be alive. I don't want to rule anything out." She said as she stood up.

"And you shouldn't either." She smiled at him.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei, please don't tell Naruto any of this." Was the last thing she said as she left.

'So I was right. My older brother was Kakashi's best friend.' She thought to herself. Masako slowly made her way through the streets and to Mama Tsunade's office.

"Hello, Masako." Tsunade said as Masako walked in.

"Good Morning, Lady Hokage." Masako answered bowing.

"Oh stop that. You're practically my daughter and you'll call me Mama Tsunade." She smiled.

Masako smiled back, "Hi, Mama Tsunade." She said as she gave her a hug.

"That's better." Tsunade said as she hugged her back. "What's on your mind?" She asked when they split apart.

"Shikamaru brought me secret files on myself last night, don't get him in trouble, I just want to know, do you think that Obito's still alive?" Masako asked slowly.

"It's possible but I don't know." Tsunade answered.

"Hmph. Well thank you anyway Mama Tsunade! Have a nice day." Masako said as she waved and left.

"I guess all I can do now is train." She said to herself and she walked over to the forest. Masako climbed up a tree using only her feet and hung upside down from a branch.

"This is easy. I don't feel like doing anything and its considered training." She said as she just hung from the branch. Her eyes were closed, she was thinking. Suddenly, she felt something against her lips she opened her eyes and was about to scream when she noticed he was kissing her. They broke apart really fast.

"Shino! When did you get back?" She asked as she flipped down from the branch and gave him a hug.

"Just this morning. I went to your house to say hello, but Naruto said you had already left, I followed the sound of you talking to yourself." He laughed.

"Oh, shut up." She told him as she hugged him again.

"I'm glad you're safe." She told him.

"From what I've been told you've been up to, I'm glad you're safe too." He said and smiled at her. Masako turned around at some chakra she could sense.

"Akamaru? Why are you here alone?" She asked and Akamaru ran out of the bushed towards her. When he got there she picked him up with a concerned look on her face.

"Shino, I can't sense Kiba's chakra. I don't think he's with him." She said.

"But they're always together. What might keep them apart?" He asked.

"I don't know, but let's find out." She said and put Akamaru down.

"Okay sweetie you need to show us where Kiba is." She told Akamaru.

"Woof." He said happily and wagged his tail then ran off.

"Let's go!" She called to Shino and he ran after her. Akamaru led them to Kiba's house. It wasn't on fire or anything. Masako picked him up again and carried him to the front door. She knocked and Shino was next to her. When the door opened Kiba stood there, still in his pajamas.

"Hey, Shino you're back." He said.

"Kiba, we found Akamaru out this morning on his own." Masako said.

"Akamaru was inside just a minuet ago." He said.

"Apparently not." Masako said as she handed him Akamaru. He took him in his arms and his nose twitched a little.

"This isn't Akamaru." He said and Masako and Shino ducked as he threw the little dog at a tree just outside.

"Akamaru come." Kiba said and sure enough Akamaru walked to stand next to him from inside.

"This is Akamaru." Kiba said.

"If that's Akamaru, then who's…" Masako started, but it didn't matter Shino was already trying to find out by using his bugs.

"If it's someone who's turned into him they're refusing to turn back." Kiba said as he held the real Akamaru in his arms.

"I'm really sorry Kiba, I thought maybe he was lost or something, but that's why I found it strange because Akamaru's a good boy and he would never run away." She said as she pet Akamaru who gave her a lick on the cheek.

"Done." Shino said. All his bugs had eaten away at the disguise, what they had left was giant blue man. He stood up and walked over to Masako.

"It's not over yet, the Akatsuki will get what we need." He whispered in her ear. She froze; she knew exactly what they were after. He smiled and walked away.

"Masako? Are you okay?" Kiba asked as he took Akamaru from her. She shook her head.

"No, but I will be. I'm just a little, frazzled. That's all." She said as she smiled at him.

He nodded and Shino said, "I'm gonna stay here and catch up with Kiba a little." Masako nodded and took off. She ran into Naruto.

"Oh hey bro." She said smiling.

"Hey sis." He said smiling back.

"I gotta tell you something." He said scratching the back of his head like he often did.

"Sure. " She answered and he took in a breath.

"Purvey Sage wants to train me so I'm ready for the Akatsuki." He said.

"What about me?" She asked smiling at him.

"Let's face it Masako, if the Akatsuki came right now you'd be prepared." He said smiling. She laughed.

"Well, how long will you be gone?" She asked.

"About three years." He answered.

"No problem. Tinnara and I are thinking of leaving for about that long too. You know, do some training in a few other villages." She said and he smiled.

"Cool, well Purvey Sage and I are leaving tomorrow." Naruto said as he stood.

"So are me and Tinnara." Masako said standing up too. The twins walked home together and packed their bags. The next morning Purvey Sage and Tinnara came by to pick them up.

"I'll see you in three years bro." Masako smiled. "Don't kill yourself. Keep your part of the fox safe." She said and he laughed.

"You too sis." They hugged and then they both left. The nine tailed fox twins were going to be separated for three entire years…


	11. Chapter 11

Two and a half years later:

"There it is Tin-tin! Just over that hill and we'll be home!" Masako said excitedly.

"Yeah. I wonder how much it's changed." Tinnara answered. "Probley not much." Masako said and the two girls laughed. The two had left the village two and a half years ago and traveled to every village to train. They made it to the top of the hill and before them, spread as far as the eye could see, was the beautiful village of Konaha.

"Hey look! They added Mama Tsunade to the mountain!" Masako said pointing to the mountain which held carved pictures of their beloved Hokage's faces. They saw Naruto below talking to Sakura and the two girls knew very well that you could see them from down there.

"Hey!!! Up here!" They screamed together and everyone turned to look.

"Masako Uzamaki and Tinnara Eguchi have returned!" Were the screams that they heard then.

"That's more like it." Tinnara said and Masako nodded in agreement.

"Sister!" Naruto screamed as he raced up the hill. When he got to her he tackled Masako to the ground and they rolled down.

"Hi bro." Was all Masako said as she stood up at the bottom.

"Wow. Look at all your guy's headbands. From every village?" He asked Tinnara and Masako.

"Yeah, every single one, even snow." Masako answered as she pointed to a headband on her leg. Sure enough it had the snow symbol on it. All her new headbands were spread across her legs. Her old ones were still in their old places, leaf on head, and sound around waist, mist and sand on arms. Tinnara had almost the same arrangement accept she had her sand one around her waist and her waterfall, mist, rain and sound ones around her arms, two on each.

"I'm gonna go see everyone else! Catch you later bro!" Masako said as she ran off.

"Hey, you're back." She heard a voice say. She turned and before her stood Kiba.

"Yep. Hey you've changed a bit, no parka." She laughed.

"Yeah, how are you and Gaara?" He asked.

"When Tinnara and I went to the sand for her Gaara and I decided that it would be better to be friends because we're always far apart." She answered.

"Where's that little cutie Akamaru?" She asked.

"Uh, well…" Kiba started.

"What? Did he die! I'm so sorry Kiba!" Masako said giving him a hug.

"No he's not dead; he's just not so little anymore." He said and whistled. Akamaru came running and he wasn't small. Kiba jumped on his back.

"I ride him now." He said smiling.

"Sheesh, he isn't so little." Masako said as she pet his nose. Kiba pulled her up next to him on Akamaru's back.

"So about the Gaara deal, you're sure you two are done." He asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Masako answered.

"So he won't mind if I do this." He said and kissed her. This time Masako got to really enjoy it for how great it was. Gaara and she had talked it over and they were just apart so much that it made no sense. Then and there Masako had promised herself that she wouldn't fall in love again because she was a ninja and the last thing she needed was for love to intrude, but she never said she still wouldn't go on dates and kiss guys. They split apart and he smiled at her and she beamed back.

"I think that was better then last time." He said.

"Definitely." She agreed.

"You're even more beautiful then before Masako. You're hair is longer too." He said and she smiled. Her hair was a little longer but not much.

"I got to go Kiba. I'm gonna see if anyone else is around." She said as she jumped down from Akamaru and ran off.

'_I'm glad I never said no dating anymore I mean Tinnara and I have to face it, we're the most beautiful girls in the village_.' Masako thought. It was true they were probley the most beautiful girls in most villages. Everywhere they went a guy was either hitting on Tinnara or Masako or both. Eventually Tinnara got sick of it and punched out one dude in the waterfall village. Masako was fine with it, it was kinda annoying, but she never minded being admired by the boys in her village. They were all sweet and caring, plus she knew them really well.

"I'm taller then you now! No more munchkin for me!" Naruto said running up to her.

"Think again." Masako said when he reached her; Naruto was still about an inch shorter then her.

"Try again next year munchkin." She laughed.

"I don't get it! Aren't guys suppose to be taller then girls?" He asked.

"Yeah, but there's still no proof that you're a guy bro." She answered.

"I've got all the proof I need in my pants sis! So shut up!" Naruto screamed and Masako just laughed.

"You haven't changed a bit." She said patting his head.

"Hello." Said a voice. Masako recognized it almost immediately and spun around.

"Hey!" She said as she ran over to him and gave him a hug.

"Who's that?" Naruto asked.

"Oh come on Naruto. Bug boy." Masako said trying to assist her brother.

"Geez, you're hopeless." She said as she rolled her eyes.

"This would be Shino." She said.

"Oh! I remember from the Chunin exams." Naruto said. Masako shook her head.

"Took you long enough." Shino said and Masako smiled at him. "You look more beautiful then before. Is that even possible?" He directed towards Masako. She just smiled.

"I don't know. You tell me." She said and he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I think so." He said and she gave him a hug.

"I got to go. Sorry Shino. We can…" Masako began but was cut off.

"We _will_ catch up tonight over dinner." Shino said. She smiled and nodded.

"I'll come to your house at seven." He said as she and Naruto took off.

"Won't that be your second date with that guy?" Naruto asked her as they approached their house.

"My second date with him in two and a half years, yeah." She said as they walked inside. Masako put her bag on her bed and began to unpack her things.

"What was it like in the snow village?" Naruto asked.

"Uh, snowy." Masako said as she put away a shirt in one of her drawers.

"What was it like in the grass village?" He asked.

"Um, grassy." She answered hanging up her Chunin vest.

"What was it like in the waterfall village?" He asked.

"Waterfall-ish… Sheesh! I don't know Naruto!" Masako screamed.

"Hey… you're a Chunin?" He asked.

"Uh, no joinin. Why?" Masako asked.

"I'm still a genin." Naruto muttered.

"Really? Wow, how come you didn't just redo the Chunin exams in the last two and a half years?" She asked.

"Purvey Sage wouldn't let me." He said bitterly. "Shikamaru says that I'm the only one who's not a Chunin or a joinin." Naruto complained.

"So what? It's not that hard just take the Chunin exams if it really bothers you that much." Masako answered him simply.

"Nah, I'll just live with it. I don't think I want to have the stress of the Akatsuki and the Chunin exams on my shoulders." He said.

"It wouldn't be that hard. All you have to do is just not leave like last time." She answered him. He shrugged.

"There could be some powerful new genin there." He said. She nodded.

"Yeah but if you've been training like you say that shouldn't be a problem." Masako pointed out.

"Whatever." Naruto said as he chucked a pillow at her. She quickly grabbed her clarinet.

"Don't make me control your mind. I'll make you gay." She warned.

"You'll make me what?" Naruto questioned.

"Well, I made a new song and whatever the victim is told while they are under my spell they believe to be true when they are released. So I'll tell you you're gay, do you really want that?" She asked.

"No." Naruto said as he stared at his sister.

'_I don't think she's kidding. That will come in handy_.' He thought. Then they heard a knock on the door.

"That must be Shino. He's early." Masako said as she walked over to the door. She opened it up and before her stood.

"A mini Might Guy. Exactly what the world needs." She said rolling her eyes.

"I am not Master Guy, but I am honored to be compared to him." Lee said.

"Yeah… right… What do you want Lee?" Masako asked annoyed.

"I wanted to welcome you back and ask you out on a date." Lee said.

"Uh, yeah. No." Masako said and she shut the door in his face. "That was creepy." She said to Naruto as she walked back inside. About an hour later another knock came.

"I bet that's Shino." Masako said as she got up and opened the door.

"Hey." She said as she looked at Shino.

"Uh…Lee. I shut the door on your face like over an hour ago." She said.

"I am aware." He answered. "Have you reconsidered?" He asked.

"No, I've got a date with Shino." She said and took Shino's hand and the two left.

"Am I really that bad looking that she would rather date Bug boy then me, Naruto?" Lee asked.

"Yes." Naruto answered as he shut the door. Lee just stood there looking like an idiot.

"It's okay Lee, she'll come around to your good looks. It may take her time to realize how handsome you are." Might Guy said from behind him. Lee smiled. Shino took Masako to the most wonderful place ever.

"Shino, you're amazing. I can't tell you how happy I am to be here." Masako told him.


	12. Chapter 12

Shino had taken Masako to a cliff over looking the village. He had already set up a picnic.

"I thought you might like it up here." He said as she walked over to the edge and looked down.

"I can see everything." She said slowly. "It's all so beautiful." Masako finished.

"Yeah," Shino said and she turned to him, "You are." Masako blushed and smiled.

"Come on." He said and lightly pulled her towards the picnic blanket. She sat down then so did he. They ate their food and talked about what they had done in the last two and a half years.

"I couldn't stop thinking that something bad would happen and you wouldn't come back." Shino told her. All Masako did was laugh. She caressed the inside of her pocket.

'_Yep, Obito's picture is still there_.' Ever since she got the picture she always kept it with her, tucked away safe. She talked to it when she felt lonely and looked to it for good luck. She'd never met her big brother, but his chocolate brown eyes told her all she needed to know about him. She knew he was strong and loving, wouldn't allow anyone to ever push him around, but you could trust him with all your secrets. She also knew that he was possibly dead.

After Shino and she were done with their food, Shino made his bugs eat the leftovers and put it all away as the two fourteen years old stood together looking at the village. Masako was leaning against Shino from the front and he had his arms wrapped around her. It was a warm night but she never would object to a cute guy wrapping her in their arms.

"Shino, this was the best night ever." She said as they walked home holding hands.

"Really? You had that great of a time?" Shino asked.

"Yeah, it doesn't take that much to impress me." She said and smiled. "This is my place." She said as they reached her front door. Shino just smiled and pulled her into a kiss. It was firm and soft at the same time and no matter how many times she kissed a guy Masako never got over the wonderful feeling it gave her.

"I'm glad we got to spend this time together." He whispered. She nodded and he turned and left. Masako opened the door and walked inside only to find Lee sitting at the table.

"Oh my god… Have you been here since I left?" She asked. He smiled and nodded.

"Naruto!!! Why did you let _him_ inside of all people?!" She screamed.

"He came in on his own and refused to leave!" Naruto screamed back at his sister as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Lee, leave now or I'll kill you, and you know I'm capable of that." Masako warned and Lee wisely stood up and walked out the door.

"You'll come around to my good looks in time." Lee said as she began to close the door.

"Yeah, sure… call me in about 90 gazillion years." She said and closed the door. "He is sooo creepy." She said and Naruto nodded. They both started laughing.

"I'm going to take a shower then head off to bed." Masako said. Naruto nodded and Masako got ready for bed. The only problem was, when she was finally ready to fall asleep she got this haunting feeling that something was wrong. She had gotten up several times to check on Naruto and he was fine, but she couldn't shake the feeling. She barley slept at all, but managed to get some sleep. As soon as she woke up she went to find Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei, something bad is going to happen, soon." She told her old sensei.

"What's going to happen?" He asked.

"I don't know I just got a very bad feeling last night and I haven't been able to shake it since." She said.

Kakashi nodded, '_Those eyes don't lie. She really does think something bad is going to happen_.' He thought.

"I'll tell Lady Hokage to alert everyone. Tell everyone you come across to stay on their toes, you stay on yours too." He said and walked off. Masako nodded and went to the forest. She felt really at peace here, but she never knew why. She climbed to the top of a high tree and just sat there on the top branches. She didn't feel like hanging like she did most of the time so she just sat on a branch.

'_I wonder what this bad feeling is_.' She thought. She didn't know how long she was in that tree but after a while she heard voices below.

"If we don't strike soon they may notice." A voice said. Masako recognized it but she couldn't quite place it.

"We will. Tonight, but we just get the girl." That voice she recognized, it belonged to Itachi Uchicha, Sasuke's big brother.

'_Itachi and_,' She thought as she leaned over the branch a little so she could see down. '_The blue guy from before_.'

"Kisame, your little stunt earlier may have tipped her off, and who knows if she told anyone." Itachi said.

'_Kisame is the blue guys name… I've heard that before. Zabuza said that Kisame was another holder of one of the seven legendary swords_.' Masako thought. Itachi looked up, she pinned herself as fast as she could to the trunk of the tree hoping her didn't see her.

"Hmph. We should go back to Akatsuki headquarters and tell Leader Pein before we take any action." He said and Kisame nodded. Then they left. Masako stayed pinned against the tree for at least ten minuets after that.

'_I had help from the Akatsuki when I saved Tinnara. Aw, crap… the Akatsuki are the people trying to get me and Naruto! I was so pissed that day that I didn't think when I told them about my part of the fox!_' Masako thought as she walked home. When she got there she walked right inside and straight to her room. When she walked inside her bedroom door she was immediately tackled onto her bed by an unknown face. She looked up at her attacker only to see an ugly green jumpsuit, ugly bowl cut and a Chunin vest.

"GET OFF ME LEE!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she pushed him off. "How the hell did you even get in here?" She asked.

"I came through the door and I am here because all the Chunin were told to keep an eye out because you had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. I decided to come and start at the source." He said and smiled in his creepy way.

"Lee, please just leave. I'm not up to arguing or killing you today, but I will if you don't leave within three seconds." Masako warned. "Three, two," She started and Lee ran out the door.

'_God, I hate that kid_.' She thought.

"Maybe you should've let him stay around." A voice said from her balcony. She turned around and faced Kakashi.

"Masako, he just wants to help." He told her as he walked in.

"Well, I know he means well, but he creeps me out, just like Might Guy." She told him. He shrugged.

"The Akatsuki are coming soon, that's my bad feeling." She told him.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"I was in the forest earlier and over heard Itachi and Kisame talking about getting the girl." She said.

"That's not possible as far as the Akatsuki know the fox is in Naruto." He said surprised.

"Yeah, when I went to get Tinnara I was so mad I accidentally let it slip out that I had part of the fox in me." She said as she hid her face behind one of her hands.

"Masako! You may have put yourself in danger!" He yelled at her.

"I know… I'm sorry." She answered dropping her hand and her head. Kakashi's eye softened.

"Hey, it's okay. Just watch what you say from now on." He said as he lifted her chin. She nodded.

"Come with me. Lady Hokage will want to get you away somewhere safe." He said and he and Masako set off towards Tsunade's office. When they got there Masako ran inside and burst through the door.

"Hello, sweetie." Tsunade said smiling at her.

"Hi, Mama Tsunade! I missed you." Masako replied beaming.

"Come over here and give me a hug then." Tsunade told her. She gave a short laugh but walked over and gave her loving "mother" a hug. Mama Tsunade had always cared for Masako treating her like her very own daughter and she demanded to be called Mama Tsunade.

"My you've grown quite a lot." Tsunade said as she embraced Masako.

"Thanks." Was all Masako said in reply.

'_I wonder if this is what it's like to have a mother hug you_.' She thought to herself. When they separated Tsunade turned to Kakashi.

"So what brings you two here?" She asked.

"Masako saw two Akatsuki members, Itachi and Kisame, conversing earlier in the woods. They were saying that they were going to retrieve 'the girl' soon." He answered her.

"I was afraid of this." Tsunade said. "I'll have to send some of you out on a 'mission'. Just so you can get away from the leaf for now." She said to Masako. "You'll all go to the sand and help Gaara, Kankuro and Temari on a mission that they are doing at the moment." She said and smiled.

"I'll collect a team immediately and notify you tomorrow. Sleep well." Was all she said then Masako and Kakashi left. Kakashi walked her home for safety reasons he said. She walked inside and found Naruto eating some ramen at the table.

"Hey, sis." He greeted her as he slurped up some noodles.

"Hey." Was all Masako said as she walked into her room and put on her pajama's then fell straight asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning when Masako woke she went straight to Mama Tsunade's office.

"It's all set. Everyone should be by the gate out of the village." Tsunade had told her. Masako nodded then made her way to the gate out of the village. All the people that Tsunade had gathered were there, Naruto, Kakashi, Might Guy, Lee, Neji, Sakura, Ten-ten, Tinnara and now Masako. Masako and Naruto were required to go though because even though the Akatsuki said they were only after Masako they would probley settle for either twin.

"Let's go then." Kakashi said after he checked to make sure everyone was there, for the _sixth_ time.

'_I've never seen Kakashi so worked up… He's usually the cool calm dude_.' Masako thought. They all set off to the sand shortly after. When they arrived they found Gaara, Kankuro and Temari in Gaara's office. Masako and Gaara hugged just like she did with Kankuro and Temari.

'_I like being just friends with Gaara_.' Masako thought as she hugged him. When they pulled apart the two exchanged friendly smiles.

"You're all here to help us on our mission, right?" Kankuro asked.

"Yes, that would be correct." Kakashi answered. Masako gave him a side glance

'_He's acting very strange…_' She thought. Gaara nodded and then the twelve ninja set out. Kakashi was trailing far behind everyone on his own and Masako took advantage of that.

"Kakashi, why have you been acting so worried? You're usually really calm." She asked.

"Hmph. Really?" He asked, but quickly added, "Uh, yeah… Just worried about you and Naruto." Masako nodded, but she wasn't convinced.

'_There's no way this is Kakashi! I'll need more information to prove my point though._' She thought. They all continued walking and Masako had told Tinnara of her suspicions so Tinnara was keeping a close eye on Kakashi as well.

Tinnara's eyes widened as she suddenly saw Kakashi do something _very_ un-Kakashi like. Quickly, she folded her arms behind her back, that was the sign the two girls had decided to use if they were positive that Kakashi was a fake. Tinnara turned her head slightly to the back so she could see Masako, who gave her a quick nod. The girls both took thread out of their pockets and used it to tie Kakashi up on the ground and as an extra precaution Masako used sand too.

"What are you girls doing?" Kakashi asked from his place on the ground wrapped in sand and thread.

"You're not Kakashi and we couldn't allow you to hurt any of our friends." Tinnara said.

"What gave you that idea?" He asked her.

"You looked at your book but didn't bother picking it up to read." She told him.

"Damn, I'm supposed to be a book worm huh?" He asked. The girls smiled as Kakashi morphed into the gray haired man named Hiden from before.

"You're part of the Akatsuki, Hidan is it?" Masako asked.

"Hidan, it is. Smart girl." He said and she smiled at him.

"If this guy's _been_ Kakashi then _where's_ Kakashi?" Naruto asked.

"Here." He said as he burst from Kankuro's puppet place on his back.

"How'd you get there?" Kankuro asked.

"He put me there." Kakashi answered pointing to Hiden.

"Where's my puppet?" Kankuro asked.

"Here." Kakashi said handing his puppets to him. Kankuro put them in their holder on his back.

"Help me Gaara?" Masako asked and Gaara nodded and smiled, then the two used their sand to bring Hiden up in the air.

"What should we do with him? Any suggestions from the audience?" Masako asked her comrades.

"I say you smash him with the imploding sand funeral!" Tinnara said evilly smiling. Masako shared her evil smile.

"Anyone else?" She asked and waited for a response. "No, well I guess your fate is set, Hiden."

She told him and began to form her hand into a fist like Gaara but someone stopped them,

"Let him go." They heard from behind them and they all turned. There stood Itachi, Kisame, and the other gray haired man from before, Deidara, Tobi and Niko.

"All the Akatsuki has seemed to come." Kakashi said.

"What is this? A party?" Masako asked as she let Hiden down and loose. Gaara stared at her obviously wondering why she let him go.

"If we're going to fight I wanna at least see what he's capable of before I kill him." She said and smiled. Hiden went over to his Akatsuki friends.

"Anything wrong Kakazu?" He asked and turned around quickly as the other gray haired man inspected him. He shook his head.

"No damage done." Hiden nodded and took out what looked to be a triple bladed scythe.

"Back off everyone, the small blonde girl is mine."

"I'm not that small!" Masako protested. The other Akatsuki members nodded and they all went after other ninja. Each took their fight off away from another.

"You're mine." Hiden repeated as he ran towards Masako.

"I don't belong to anyone." She answered, but she didn't move away or run, just stayed where she was. Hiden smiled and slashed his scythe right through her, cutting her in half. Masako just burst into water and fell to the ground as a puddle.

'_A water clone!_' Hiden thought and he did a quick 360, but didn't see her.

"Looking for me?" He heard her hiss in his ear. He whipped around to face her, big mistake. Hiden was trapped in Masako's Mangekyo sharingan.

"How long must I stay in here?" He yelled at the darkness.

"For the next 96 hours my friend." He heard Masako's voice say. Then everything, even the blood red sky, went black. All Hiden could hear was Masako's voice, she seemed to be moving, but her bright red eyes always stayed in front of him, not blinking, just staring.

"Don't worry Hiden," He heard her voice say from the right, "when I stab you with my katana," Her voice continued now coming from the left, but no matter where her voice was her eyes stayed in front of him, "you'll die quickly. It won't hurt that much." And with that she stabbed him straight through his head with her katana. She'd lied, it did hurt a lot. When a victim is killed in the Mangekyo they actually stop breathing outside, but it's only for about two seconds. Hiden could feel the sharp pain erupting through his body. He wasn't breathing, but he could still see and hear. He saw nothing but Masako's blood red eyes still staring at him, he heard nothing but her laugh from all around him.

"I hope that didn't hurt." She said then continued laughing evilly. After the 96 hours in the Mangekyo were over Hiden took in a deep breath. It had only been about two seconds, but to him it seemed like so much longer. He touched his forehead, it was clear of a big, bloody, katana sized hole.

"That Mangekyo sharingan of yours is quite something." He said as he stood up. Masako just smirked.

"You must be pretty powerful to still be able to stand after that."

Hiden nodded, "The Akatsuki admits no weak members." He said then exploded.

'_A shadow clone?!_' Masako thought as her eyes widened.

"No weak members… or idiots." She heard him whisper in her ear. Masako had been well trained not to panic, even if you felt like you were in a corner. She jumped in the air and did a back flip, landing right on Hiden's shoulders. He growled and did a back flip himself, but he was to slow, Masako had already jumped off and by the time he was done with his back flip she was already headed at him with leaf hurricane. He just smiled and grabbed both her legs when she got close enough. Chakra flowed out of his hands and into her legs. Hiden laughed as he threw her to the ground, she landed about twenty feet away. Masako didn't know what he just did to her and, frankly, she didn't really care. She tried to stand up but her knees buckled and her legs clasped underneath her.

'_Damn it! A medical technique! I should've guessed_.' She thought as she fell back to the ground, a feeling of defeat washing its way over her. Hiden slowly walked towards Masako. He was well aware that if one twin was killed the part of the fox in that child would find its way to the other one which would make it easier for the Akatsuki to get the fox as a whole. He smiled evilly as he held his scythe. Hiden knew that his gods were very pleased with him right now. In the religion which Hiden practices anything that is not murder or at least bloody is considered a sin.

'_I can't do anything. By the time my legs heal from even my strongest medical technique it will already be too late._' Masako thought as she watched Hiden slowly approach her. Before long he loomed over her.

"I guess this is goodbye. You put up a good fight, but in the end good just wasn't enough." Hiden said and he raised his scythe and brought it down with a loud crunch.

"What the hell are you doing?" He screamed.


	14. Chapter 14

Tobi's mask had shattered on contact with the scythe and it now lay on the ground, but Tobi remained unhurt.

"I'm sorry Hiden, but I can't allow you to kill my little sister." He said and turned to help Masako up.

"Obito?" She said amazed.

'_He's not dead…_' She thought astonishingly.

"Yeah." He answered smiling warmly at her. Then he healed her legs with a medical technique and it only took about two seconds then she could walk again.

"You'll have to teach me that one day… brother." Masako said and smiled. Obito had only one red sharingan eye on the left side. His other eye was a deep chocolate color, just like in the pictures.

"I think you have forgotten our mission, Obito." Hiden said from behind him. Obito turned away from Masako to face him.

"If you have, I'll remind you. We have to get the fox. If we kill that girl then…" Hiden began, but Obito stopped him.

"If we kill 'that girl' we'll be killing a great ninja. One of the greatest of her generation. We can't do that Hiden." Obito said seriously.

'I _would've never guessed that Obito was Tobi. I mean they're so different… Obito is, for one, a lot more serious then Tobi._' Masako thought as she watched the men converse.

"Obito, if we don't kill the girl we may never get the fox, and if we never get the fox then leader Pein may just SMASH OUR FACES IN THE GROUND and then kill us, or TORTURE US IN MORE PAINFUL WAYS, then kill us. Depending on his mood." Hiden said.

"He doesn't have to know Hiden, we can just say that she was too powerful and we had to give up before we were killed." Obito said trying to persuade him.

"Pein expects us to always do what is best for the organization, loosing our lives is a measure he would want us to take to help the Akatsuki, if it came to it." Hiden argued.

"I don't care… You won't kill this girl, Hiden." Obito said as he planted his feet firmly in front of Masako.

"I'll kill you first." He added darkly.

'_Oh, man. I better back down now. He's getting mad_.' Hiden thought, he then nodded and walked away.

"Sister, I'll try my best to keep them away from you and Naruto, but you two must get stronger as well. The Akatsuki are not weak, the weakest member is probley me." Obito said as he turned to face Masako again.

"I'll see you again one day though." He finished and took another orange mask with the spiral design from his cloak and put it on.

"Tobi's a good boy." He said quietly as he turned and began to walk the way Hiden had just gone. Masako just stood there and watched him go, both thrilled that her brother was alive still, but hurt to watch him leave.

'_Brother, I wish I could tell you I was strong enough, but I'd be lying through my teeth._' She thought to herself. She felt one stray tear fall down her cheek as another thought entered her mind. It was more of a picture then a thought. It was the memory of seeing that one picture in the file, of their entire family. She'd never noticed it the first time, but as she was looking through it another time she came across a picture of her father, her mother, her brothers and her. All in a picture together. The pictures of her and Naruto were clearly pasted in, but it was a nice picture and she could careless if it really happened or not, the point was that she had it and now seeing her brother she had a faint hope that maybe she could learn more about her parents, _their_ parents, from him.

"Masako!" She heard Kankuro scream. Hearing someone's voice made her feel really dizzy for some reason. She could feel herself falling, but couldn't stop it. She felt strong arms catch her and looked up to see Kankuro.

"My legs." Was all she said before everything just went black. When she woke back up she didn't recognize where she was, until she sat up. The fighting was still going on around her. "Good, you were only out for about three seconds." Kankuro said as he smiled at her. She just gave him a dazed look.

"The others are still fighting, I was coming to see if you needed help, good thing too cause if I didn't and you needed medical attention you'd be screwed." He said and smiled.

"Fighting," Masako said still a bit dazed. "We're fighting the Akatsuki. If Tinnara and I…" Her eyes widened as this thought entered her mind. She stood up quickly.

"Where's Tinnara?" She asked, Masako had a plan and it was flawless. Kankuro pointed to the right and Masako took off. She found Tinnara fighting Deidara.

'_Interesting choice_.' She thought to herself. Deidara was leaving, or throwing, clay spiders that would blow up when he said something but Masako couldn't quite hear what that was and she really didn't care at the moment.

"Tinnara! Remember our curse marks! The ultimate tag team!" Masako shouted over the sound of one of the spiders exploding. Tinnara went to the side of her friend.

"Oh, yeah, sure I remember. What about them… Oh, I get it." Tinnara said and smiled evilly. Masako shared her smile as the girls nodded to one another and let their curse marks spread across their faces and down their bodies.

"To second state?" Tinnara asked.

"No, we'll see if we can just beat them without it, but if it comes to it, have fun." Masako smiled.

"Sorry I couldn't show you girls the extent of my ability before." Deidara said as he landed in front of them. "But now you get to see it, up close and personal." He said and smiled a smile that made Masako want to just rip his head off.

"I'll take him." Tinnara said darkly as she began to move towards him, but Masako grabbed her arm.

"The ultimate _tag_ team, we have to do this together if we want to be successful." She said calmly. Tinnara looked irritated, but nodded.

"Got a plan?" she asked.

"When have I been known not to have one?" Masako asked smiling that smile of hers that let you know she was up to no good.

"Just follow my lead. You're smart, you'll get it." She said as she jumped off where no one could see her.

'_Oh great, that means this is going to be one of her hard plans and I have to decipher it _and_ fight, grand._' Tinnara thought as she threw a smoke bomb and disappeared herself.

"I love it when you hide. It makes the game that much more fun." Deidara said. He was trying to irritate her, he wanted Tinnara to jump from her spot and kill him, but she wasn't going to do it. Masako had a plan and her plans always worked. Tinnara still had no idea where Masako was or what she was up to, but she had to wait to see what would happen.

Masako smiled, '_Deidara's really after Tinnara he doesn't care if I'm here or not. That's exactly what I was hoping for._' Deidara wasn't the least bit concerned about fighting Masako; it was Tinnara he wanted to fight. He had to loose before to her on purpose so he wasn't reviled, but now it was free time and he could do whatever he wanted. Masako took in everything about Deidara as he walked around looking for Tinnara. She even got his robot eye just right. After she was finished perfecting her masterpiece she jumped out in the open.

"Oh, hello Masako. Do you know where Tinnara is?" He asked politely. Masako just smiled as she held her art work in her hand. Tinnara watched her friend and began to move to jump down too, but noticed Masako's ever so slight glance to her and slight head shake. Tinnara barley caught any of it, but Masako knew where she was and Deidara didn't, that was what Masako had wanted.

'_What happened to team?_' Tinnara thought, but she then got mad at herself.

'_No, Masako will just weaken him and let me finish him off, we work best that way._' She thought and smiled going through the ways to kill Deidara in her head.

"What've you got there?" Deidara asked gesturing to the art in Masako's hand.

"It looks like a charka mold of me…" He said looking amazed and curious.

"It is a chakra doll of you; it's a new jutsu I learned over these last two and a half years. I'll use this to hurt you badly and Tinnara can finish you off however she sees fit." Masako said.

"How will a little charka doll 'hurt me badly'?" He asked her with a smirk on his face. She just smiled _more evilly_, if that was even possible.

"You should've never asked." She said and began to suck the black charka doll back into her hand.

"W- What's going on?" Deidara asked his eyes wide.

"You only feel it, nobody else can ever tell, until you fall to the ground, but you're lucky, Tinnara's finishing you up, not me." She said. What the charka doll did was after Masako had made an exact replica of the desired person she could take the charka back into her hand and as she did so the charka in the person was drained and put into her as well, making her even more powerful. She wasn't going to drain Deidara all the way though. It was only fair that she take most of it and she let Tinnara finish him off. The curse mark helped with this charka doll trick because it gave her more charka to make a better, more realistic, doll. Before long Deidara was so weak that he fell to the ground. Tinnara smiled as she jumped from her hiding spot.

"I'm not going to use any charka on him because I don't need to. This will be quick and easy." Tinnara said as she walked over to Deidara with a kunai in her hand. She began to bring it down towards him ready to stab his chest, but someone walked in front of her.

"Niko? What are you doing?" Masako asked confused. Niko was crying, but she looked angry.

"It sucked watching you hurt Deidara, but I'll never let you kill him." She said.

"Niko, no, un. They're to strong, un." Deidara said weakly.

"Dei, you haven't seen me fight since we were kids, I'm a lot better." She said and smiled. Deidara just nodded, but somewhat reluctantly.

"Here." Niko said and transferred some of her charka to him.

'_Black charka?!_' Masako and Tinnara thought at the same time. "Surprised by the black charka?" Niko asked standing up and helping Deidara up as well.

"No, I have it too, but I thought I was the only one." Masako said.

"Same goes for me. So I guess that means you have a few of the forbidden jutsus that go with it?" Niko asked.

"Oh yeah." Masako said. She only had a few of them and she hadn't mastered them yet, but she did know them and she could do them well enough.

'_This is about to become _very_ fun_.' Masako thought. Deidara smiled over to Niko who nodded and he nodded back. A strange black design crawled its way across her skin.

"You have a curse mark too?" Tinnara asked confused.

"No, but it's similar. My entire clan has it." Niko said smiling.

"So Deidara has one too?" Masako asked trying to appear calm.

"No, we're not of the same clan, un. We're just from the same village, un." Deidara said.

'_She gave him black charka so it copied itself and is flowing strongly through him now._' Masako thought. She could see it all running through him. That's exactly how she _never _ran out of charka, she could make it copy itself and flow more, that's why she kept the necklace so she could give it to another without having to make any contact with them, all they needed to do was make contact with the necklace.

"We'll need to both fight this, with second state." Masako said as she took off her necklace and handed it to Tinnara who took it and put it around her neck. The necklace drained as they girls transformed. Niko and Deidara just stared.

"I can't do that with my mark…" Niko whispered to Deidara who just nodded.

"They got their marks from Orochimaru, un." He whispered back. Niko nodded. Tinnara laughed as the streaks in her hair turned midnight black. Masako looked over to her friend they both had on sharingan and she could see the black charka manifesting and filling Tinnara's body. They'd practiced this before and knew all the jutsus that went with the curse marks. The two were virtually indestructible when they had the combined curse marks loose.

"Time to rip these armatures to shreds." Masako said evilly after she was completely transformed and Tinnara just laughed in agreement.


	15. Chapter 15

Tinnara laughed as she said, "I'll take Deidara. We've got some unfinished business to take care of." Masako nodded and the two did hand signs together by each using one hand and combining it with the other.

"Counteracting jutsu." Niko said as the girls finished and Masako just stopped.

"There's no point. I don't know this one; all I know is that it makes it so whatever you do; the other person can automatically counteract it. It would be pointless to fight back." She said.

"Hidden in the blackness of the night." Niko said and disappeared as everything turned black around them.

"This will be easy. I'll use mind control." Masako said and smiled even though she knew Tinnara couldn't see it.

"Mind control? With your little clarinet? Whatever." Niko said mockingly. She was trying to be nice; she'd met Masako and Tinnara before and thought that they were cool and nice. If it was her choice she wouldn't be fighting this fight. Niko never had been much of a fighter. She was a bomber with Deidara when he got into that stuff, but there she never met or even got to see the people she killed and then it wasn't as bad, but Masako and Tinnara had threatened to kill Deidara, that made Niko mad, she also wanted to show Deidara that she was strong and impress him. Ever since she was little that had always been her goal. She didn't like him, but he was strong, something she never was. Niko was always the screw-up or freaky cat girl.

Ten years ago in the stone village:

"Haha! Look her ears are going down! What a freak." The other kids taunted. Niko couldn't do anything, they scared her.

"I can't help it. Everyone in my family has kitty ears." She said standing up and running off with tears streaming down her cheeks. She ran straight home and into her room.

"Shut up! Stupid girl." Her father yelled as she ran past. She quieted when she got to her room.

'_It times exactly like right now when I wish I had a mommy to hug me and tell me everything would be okay_.' She thought as she hugged her knees.

"Niko." She heard a soft voice say from outside her door. She didn't answer, afraid that it might be her father, even though she was sure it wasn't. The door slide open and her big sister popped her head in. Her sister was seventeen, ten years older then Niko. Samerella had actually known their mother and their father when he was nicer. Samerella had the same black hair as Niko, but Samerella's eyes changed color according to her emotion, her eyes were pink right now, but Niko didn't know what that meant.

"Niko." Samerella said again walking into the room. When she sat down on the bed Niko buried her face in her sister's shoulder.

"T-the other k-kids made fun of me again." She said through tears. Samerella picked her up and Niko didn't bother to see where they were going she just kept crying. When she was set down she looked up. She looked to her sister who was looking out over the view.

"Mom used to take me here when I was sad." Samerella said still not looking to Niko. "You know what's funny though?" She asked. Niko just continued looking at her wondering what she had in mind to make her happy, because she always could. "Those kids who make fun of you now," Samerella said. At this Niko looked away she didn't want to be reminded of the other kids. "Those same kids will probley fear you when you're older." Samerella finished. Niko looked over to her. Samerella was smiling.

"Fear me?" Niko asked confused.

"Yeah, all the kids that made fun of me when I was younger fear me now. Those kids don't know that our clan may have cat ears and look strange, but we're one of the most powerful clans in the stone." Samerella's eyes were still pink, but a darker shade. Niko didn't get any happier. Samerella's eyes went back to the softer shade of pink they had been before.

"I know that dad can seem testy and mean these days Niko, but… I think it's just because…" Samerella started but Niko turned to her.

"It's because he thinks I killed mom by being born!!! Dad hates me!" She screamed tears running down her cheeks again. Most older siblings would get angry at that kind of yelling, but Niko already had it pretty rough and Samerella knew that yelling would only make that worse. Plus, Niko was still crying really hard and Samerella hated to see her sad. She gathered up the little seven year old Niko in her arms and sung quietly in her ear.

"Sama sun a fa suno kana mai fo shi nanado no soi can meai ah." Niko's crying slowed and came to a stop. "A cat's charm song. Mom used it on me when I was little too. It calms every cat down when their going wild." Samerella said still holding her sister.

"And Niko, dad may hate you for that, but also know that he isn't from our clan and doesn't know what it's like to feel the pain and reject." Niko just snuggled farther into her sister's hold. "And as long as you remember that I love you everything will be fine." Samerella finished and let Niko go. "Come on, I'll walk you to school tomorrow." She said.

"I thought you had training in the morning." Niko said wiping her eyes.

"I'll make up an excuse." Samerella said smiling. Niko smiled back and Samerella's eyes went back to their natural green. The next morning after Niko was up and dressed Samerella walked her to school, just like she promised.

"Have a nice day sis. I gotta split." She said and gave Niko a hug then ran off.

"Cat girl's got a sister? How weird." One of the kids taunted.

'_Oh man. One starts it then they all corner me_.' Niko thought and she was, sadly, right. Eventually there was an entire circle of kids surrounding her.

"You look so weird!"

"Freak!"

"Here kitty, kitty!" Niko was already curled up in a ball and crying, hoping it would all end soon. It never ended until class started and that wasn't for another hour.

'_Why does dad have to send me to school early?_' She wondered.

"Back off! All of you!" She heard a voice say.

'_Oh, no. Now sensei will want to talk with me_.' She thought unraveling from her ball, but when she looked up she saw a blond haired boy standing in front of her.

"I'm Deidara. And if I catch any of you picking on her again I'll kill you." He promised the crowd and they all backed off and sat down.

He reached his hand down, "Need some help, un?" He asked politely. Niko still had tears in her eyes, but she nodded. Deidara helped her up and led her over to two open chairs. They both sat down.

"I didn't catch your name, un." He said.

"I'm, uh, Niko." She said shyly.

"Pretty name, un." He commented. "What's the story behind your cat ears, un?" He asked.

"Uh…"

'_Oh no, after I tell people this they always leave me and don't wanna be my friend_.' Niko thought. This blond boy was nice and she wanted to be friends, but before she could answer another girl did.

"There real ears. Everyone in her clan has them. A freak huh?" Niko buried her face in her hands.

Deidara's eyes softened, "No, it's awesome and you better stop calling her that or you're dead." He warned the girl, who turned around. Niko looked up.

"You really think that?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think those ears of yours are really something. We'll be great friends, un." He said and smiled. Niko smiled back. That was the start of their wonderful friendship.

"I don't use that clarinet anymore!" Masako said.

"It got to hard to carry it around all the time. It's easier to just use my voice." She finished smiling evilly.

"This one will have you in no time." She said and began to sing a soft tune,

"May Na so fa sa ma yo to saknafo chinaiya san a fotaiya sokure nofaninai took na." The blackness cleared and Niko was on her knees, struggling. Masako started a faster tune, almost like screaming.

"Saka fa shina to ska melai ten cha. So fa naiay chiay. Shakaa myo chantas." Before long Niko wasn't moving at all.

"Got her." Masako said.

"Stand up Niko." Niko stood. "Now tell us all your reason for fighting in this match." Masako loved to make her opponent spill their secrets when she could control their mind.

"I want to show Deidara that I am strong and not 'a nuisance' or a 'freak' like all the other kids and sensei saw me." Niko said. Deidara just stared, his only visible eye soft.

'_You're not a nuisance or a freak Niko. From the day we met I knew you'd always be great_.'

Deidara thought and a tear fell from his eye as he remembered back to when they were just starting out on the same squad:

"No Niko! Do it like Deidara!" Sensei yelled at Niko, _again_. Deidara couldn't help it, he always got mad when people tried to be mean to Niko, she was his friend and she got enough crap at home.

"Yes, sorry sensei." Niko apologized, _again_.

'_You don't have to be sorry Niko your doing it right_!' Deidara screamed in his head as he watched her walk up the tree again and back down, without falling or even tripping up.

"That's wrong!" Sensei snapped again.

"No it's not." Deidara said from his spot at the base of a tree. "She's doing great, better then me." He said.

"Y-yes, o-of course. G-great job Niko." Sensei said.

"You two may leave now." He finished.

'_Foolish man, it's not me you should be afraid of_.' Deidara thought as he and Niko walked off.

"This will show Deidara that I'm strong." Niko said and she ran towards Masako.

"I was never under your little mind control. All I had to do was quietly sing the cats charm." She smiled as she held Masako high up in the air by her throat.

"I'm not going to kill you because I think you're nice and I've done what I wanted to do." Niko finished as she dropped Masako.

"Let's go Deidara." She said and the two walked off. Masako and Tinnara changed back to normal and Tinnara put the black charka back in the necklace and put it around Masako's neck.

"She's tough." Tinnara said as she helped Masako up. The two girls went over and found their entire squad a little beaten up, but no one badly injured.

"Let's find camp for the night and start back out again in the morning." Kakashi said and everyone agreed.


	16. Chapter 16

After that Masako and Tinnara healed everyone's wounds with their healing jutsu. Everyone lay asleep, but Masako just couldn't sleep a wink. Hearing Niko's plea today had brought back her own memories. The welcomed and the unwelcome.

Four years ago:

"You're an idiot Haku!" Masako teased Haku as she gently pushed him.

"He's no idiot." Zabuza said.

"Duh, he's not. I'm just poking fun, master. Plus, Haku doesn't mind. Right?" She asked giving him her cutest face. Haku just blushed and shook his head.

"See." Masako smiled. Zabuza just gave Haku a look then pulled him off to the side where he thought Masako couldn't hear, but she could.

"How could you let a girl convince you so easily? You'll get nowhere as a ninja if you let that happen!" Zabuza was whisper yelling now.

"Sorry, master. I'll stop." Haku said dropping his head.

"Sorry." Masako whispered to him as they followed Zabuza again. They were his tools, there only to serve him and nothing more. In return he trained and watched over them.

"It's okay. Master Zabuza just wants me to be strong that's all." He whispered back and gave her a smile. Masako nodded, but she wasn't convinced.

'_Haku, you get in trouble all too much on my behalf_.' She thought.

"Here." Zabuza said as he tossed her his sword.

"Whoa!" Masako screamed as she raced to catch it, she did.

"What are you cable of with it?" Zabuza asked.

"Uh, I dunno…" Masako shrugged.

'_Haku and I were always fighting to be best in Zabuza's eyes. I always out shined him though. He was always striving and working hard hoping to one day surpass me in Zabuza's eyes, and he did_.' Masako thought and her eyes began to fill with tears she sat up to let them fall down her cheeks, but then she noticed another person sitting up as well. The person gestured for her to follow and even though every bone in her body told her not to, she did anyway.

'_I'm pretty sure it's someone from my group, but if it's not I'll have my hands ready for some jutsu._' She promised herself as she followed them when they came to a stop she stopped by them and squinted her eyes to see their face in the dark.

"Oh, hey Gaara. What's up?" She asked when she was sure of whom it was.

"I'm not Gaara, but I'm flattered to be compared to the Kazakage." The person said.

"You're not Gaara, then who are you?" Masako asked placing her hands in the tiger sign so she could quickly do the other signs that followed for some fire style.

"I'm just a sander, sent out to watch over you and your friends on your mission. We'll remain unseen and we will barley intervene." He answered; at least Masako thought he was a he due to the lower voice.

"What's your name?" She asked him.

'_If he's from the sand I have nothing to worry about_.' She thought letting her hands drop back to her sides.

"My name…hmmm… I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that." He said.

"Oh come on." She pushed.

"Fine, but you can't tell any of your friends who I am, me and my friends are on an _undercover_ mission. We're not to be seen." He said. Masako nodded then remembered that he probley couldn't see her any better then she could see him.

"I promise I won't tell." She said and he sighed.

"My name is Sasori." He said sounding regretful.

"See Deidara? Sasori knows how to get close, but not flirty." Pein said to Deidara quietly. They were watching Sasori do his job and bring Masako to trust him then he would get her to come with him to his camp and she would then be in the Akatsuki's hold. Deidara had come along because Pein had insisted that he come to see how _real_ undercover work was done.

"Sasori is very good at it leader-sama." Deidara said.

'_He's only doing this because I went and got emotionally evolved. It's his fault for sending _me_, of all people, after a hot girl._' Deidara thought to himself.

"Now Deidara, why did you get so crazy over that Tinnara girl anyway? I mean you've got Niko right here. She's pretty isn't she?" Pein asked him.

"Yeah, Niko's beautiful, but we both see each other as just friends." Deidara answered.

"Well, Sasori, I thank you for worrying about me and hope to see you again sometime. Maybe in the light." Masako said smiling.

"In the light would be wonderful. I'll see what I can do." He said, the two hugged then Sasori walked off and Masako made her way back to camp. She slept soundly after her meeting with Sasori.

'_What a nice guy_.' She thought as she drifted off to sleep.

"Perfect Sasori-no danna. Excellent job, she already trusts you." Deidara said as the three walked their way back to their camp.

"Yes, but she doesn't trust me enough yet, I'll have to do this a few more times." He said with a straight face. When they got back to camp Deidara went and found Niko. She wasn't asleep yet.

"Hey." He said popping in his head.

"Hey." Niko said as she looked up and smiled.

"What's that, un?" Deidara asked walking in and sitting down by her.

"Picture of Samerella. You know I haven't seen her since we became bombers?" She asked. Deidara shook his head.

"I thought you went back for visits, un." He said.

"Yeah, but the first time I went back my entire clan was destroyed and everyone was dead, except Samerella." She answered him.

"How do you know, un?" He asked.

"Have you ever had just a gut feeling that told you something wasn't true no matter how much your head told you it was?" She asked. Deidara shook his head again.

"Well, no matter what it seems. I just don't think that Samerella's dead. I know that she's still alive somewhere. I don't know where, but I hope to find her one day." She said and smiled. "Well, I'm tired Dei, good night." She said and gave him a hug. Deidara smiled and left.

The next morning back at the other camp Masako got up, the thoughts of her strange visitor from the night before running through her mind. She was extremely happy. Not only was this Sasori guy cute, he also cared about her.

"Masako, can we talk?" Lee asked. Masako sighed but turned to him.

"Yeah sure. What is it?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"I know that you left the camp last night to meet someone. Who was it?" He asked. Masako let out a laugh.

"Lee, that's my business, but the person I talked to last night is not out to hurt us." She assured him. He nodded but she knew he wasn't convinced.

"Lee, I'm not up to a discussion right now." She said calmly. He nodded and left her alone.

'_Good, that worked. I would've gone insane if he stayed any longer_.' She thought to herself. They all continued walking and ran into no troubles that day. That night after everyone in camp was asleep Sasori made another visit to Masako. Since they were already acquainted this time they talked a little about their pasts. Deidara wasn't required to come along this time, but Pein had given him the choice. He didn't go though because Niko hadn't come out of her tent all day and he wanted to see what was up.

"Niko?" He asked as he popped his head in her door. All he saw was a lumpy sleeping bag.

'_I'll have to wake her_.' He thought and walked over and kneeled by the sleeping bag. He pulled back the top part down and the sleeping bag was Niko free. Deidara ran outside of the tent.

"Does anyone know where Niko is?" He asked frantically.

"Yeah." Kakazu answered.

"Tell me!" Deidara demanded.

"Information don't come cheap." Kakazu said and stuck out his hand. Deidara sighed but gave him twenty. Kakazu looked at what was in his hand and nodded and put it away.

"She took Tobi with her to go find some chick named…Samcerella?"

Deidara's eye widened, "Samerella?" He asked hoping he was wrong.

"Yeah, that's it!" Kakazu said.

"Hiden, Kakazu, Itachi. You're coming with me." Deidara said darkly.

"What?! No way! I don't wanna!" Hiden protested.

"You're going or you'll die. You're choice." Deidara said.

"Haha! I'm immortal, asshole." Hiden laughed.

"I'll find a way to kill you." Deidara said and Hiden's eyes widened and he decided to go.

"Itachi you can actually stay. I'll have Zestu come with me instead." Deidara told Itachi who just shrugged.

"Why Zestu?" Hiden asked.

"Because, if I have to kill you, Zestu can eat you." Deidara answered and smiled at him. Hiden gulped.

"Tell, Pein we went after Niko and Tobi." Deidara said as the four left. Konan nodded.

"It's getting late. Sasori, I love talking to you, but I do need sleep." Masako said smiling. They were in a little more light this time and she could see Sasori better. He looked a lot more like Gaara in the light, but so different at the same time. Sasori laughed lightly.

"Yeah, I may want to get some sleep too." He smiled. Masako nodded.

"It always nice to talk with you." She said then left.


	17. Chapter 17

Deidara was getting angrier with every memory of Niko that entered his mind.

Four years ago:

"Niko, you take the right." Deidara instructed Niko. They were on a mission. They were to bomb a small village in the mist. Niko nodded and veered off to the right. She had twenty-four homemade bombs with her and Deidara had his exploding clay with him.

'_Be careful Niko_.' Deidara thought as he went off towards the left. He stuck one of his hands in his pocket full of clay. It chewed the clay and molded it into a little spider. He threw the spider to the ground and it blew up. He smiled watching the display.

Niko saw Deidara's explosion from the corner of her eye and she got one of her bombs ready. She was going to blow up some people. There was a tall man and two kids with him. She didn't like the idea of having to hurt kids, she didn't like the idea of hurting anyone, but she had her orders. She took out a grenade and threw it towards the people. A little blonde girl with a big sword in her hand saw the grenade before it exploded and threw the sword to the little boy next to her and grabbed the grenade and chucked it in the air. Up there it exploded.

"What was that?" The boy asked.

"That was a bomb. Let's get out of here." The tall man said as he grabbed the sword from the boy and put it on his back.

"Yes Master Zabuza." The girl said as she scanned the forest. Niko shuddered as the girls eyes pasted over her. The girl stopped and stared straight at Niko. She stopped holding her breath.

"Masako!" The tall man called.

"Coming Master Zabuza." Masako answered and she ran after the two boys. Niko let out a breath. She was going to stay in the air from now on. She went and found Deidara still dropping bombs and laughing as he watched them explode below.

"Did you see that Niko?" He asked smiling at her.

She nodded, "Yeah I saw it Dei-dei."

He looked to her, "What's wrong, un?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just almost got caught back there, but don't tell anyone." She said. He nodded and the two finished their job. Niko didn't even have to use all of her bombs.

Deidara felt himself get angry and sad as he remembered another time with Niko.

Eight years ago:

"Idiot! You're not supposed to save or comfort her! She's a monster!" Niko's dad screamed at Samerella. Samerella's eyes were black, which meant she was mad.

"Father, I don't care if Niko is the one hundredth member born to our clan. I don't care if she's meant to be the most powerful and I'm _really _not going to kill her just because you said so." She finished not taking her gaze from her father's. He glared daggers at her.

"I'm your father and you'll do as I say." He said darkly, obviously not wanting any more shit.

Samerella laughed, "Some father you are! Asking your nineteen year old daughter to kill her little sister! Heck, you're not even a ninja! You're lucky mom even married you!" She screamed right back at him.

"Just because I'm not a ninja doesn't mean I still can't hurt you." He said. Samerella rolled her eyes.

"Yeah… no way I could beat you. Me, having had _years_ of training and even having a kekkei genkai on my side. Yeah, no way I could beat you." She said sarcastically.

Niko was with Deidara in the forest. Deidara always came over early and took her somewhere where they were away from her house and they could just hang out. The more Niko was away from home the better and Deidara, even at his young age, knew that.

Niko laughed as Deidara fell from the tree, again.

"No, Dei, focus your chakra into your feet and imagine yourself just hanging." Niko instructed. Deidara nodded and tried it again. And he fell, _again_.

"Your kekkei genkai… since when do those of the Ikamati clan have a kekkei genkai?" Her father asked.

"Since the founders of the clan. Our clan is so small that most people marry out of the clan to expand it, but usually only those who marry in the clan have the kekkei genkai." Samerella explained.

"Your mother married out of the clan." Her father pointed out.

"Yes, but everyone in our family before mom married in the clan, the kekkei genkai blood was running strongly through her and she passed it down to me and Niko. Niko was the one hundredth member born to our clan and prophecy states that the one hundredth member born to our clan will have the hardest life, receive the most criticism, but they will also be the most powerful from all of that." Samerella finished her eyes getting dark blood red, she had blood lust. Samerella had an undying urge to kill her father at the moment.

Niko laughed as Deidara fell from the tree for the ninth time.

"Why don't we stop for today, un?" He asked rubbing his head where he hit it.

"Okay." Niko said flipping down from her branch.

Deidara felt tears sting the back of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall down his cheeks. Hiden looked over to him a bit disgusted as he watched Deidara fight back tears. Zestu watched Deidara with a look of worry in his eyes.

'_I've never seen Deidara behave this way_.' He thought to himself. Deidara knew where he was headed and was regretting every minuet of it. The four landed right in front of Masako. Her eyes widened in shook at first, but as she recognized who they were she smirked.

"I've already beat most of you, so what do you want?" She asked. When she mentioned the part of having beaten them all before Hiden winced.

"Remember my friend Niko?" Deidara asked, tears still threatening to run down his cheeks.

"Yeah, sure. Sweet girl." Masako answered.

Deidara nodded. "She's gone missing and we need your help to find her." He said, with every word he spoke it was getting harder and harder to keep the tears at bay.

"My help? What happened to 'no weak members'? Eh, Hiden?" Masako asked.

"Masako," Deidara pleaded. ", if you were a rouge ninja you would be in the Akatsuki, hands down. Please, you know how powerful you are… You have to help us." He couldn't hold them back any longer, a few tears found their way down his cheeks. Masako had never seen Deidara cry, she felt bad for him.

'_He cares about Niko so much that not having her here makes him cry. Sheesh, me and my stupid good nature_.' She thought to herself.

"Fine, I'll help you." She said.  
Deidara smiled to her. "Thank you, un." He said.

"Yeah, yeah. But I get to bring along one of _my_ friends." She said and smiled.

"Oh no." Deidara said, hoping he was wrong about who she was going to bring.

"Oh yes." Masako answered smiling a bit evilly. Deidara didn't want it but Masako would pull out immediately if she couldn't come too.

"Fine, un." He said regretfully. Masako started to make her way back to camp and woke up her best friend and ace fighting partner.

"Okay, now that we have Tinnara, we can set off after Niko and Tobi." To Masako it felt weird saying Tobi instead of Obito.

"But first, Deidara, Tinnara, you two have to promise not to fight." Masako said.

"What!!" Deidara and Tinnara screamed together.

"Shake hands and say you won't fight, and if you do I'll kill the both of you." Masako threatened. The two, knowing she was very capable of killing them, shook hands and promised not to fight. Then they all set off to save Niko and Tobi.

'Money, money, money. MONEY!' Kakazu sung in his head as they set off.


	18. Chapter 18

The six ninja were headed towards the stone village.

"So why do you think she would go to the stone?" Masako asked Deidara as they all surged through the trees.

"She wants to find her sister, un. She would start in the stone." He answered.

"Deidara, if she wants to find her sister then why not let her?" She asked.

"Masako, I want to help her find her sister, at all means, but if Niko goes back to the stone all the members of her clan will be out to kill her." He said.

"I thought her entire clan was dead…" She said.

"A few members of every murdered clan always live." Deidara answered.

"Why would they want to kill Niko?" Masako asked.

"Because, she's said to be the most powerful member of their entire clan because she was the one hundredth born in the clan." He answered. "It's really not the members of the clan that want to kill her, it's her father." He said.

"Why would her father want to kill her?" Masako asked.

"Because he blames her for her mother's death. The members of the clan are afraid of him and if he said to kill Niko they all would, except Samerella." Deidara answered remembering how loving and caring Samerella was. Masako had about a million more questions running through her head, but she could clearly see that answering these was hard for Deidara. So Masako laid off. When they made it to the stone they went quickly to the remains of the Ikamati clan's village.

Masako and Tinnara could both hear the slightest whimper on the wind. "This way." Masako said and gestured with her hand as she started towards the sound. Then Masako remembered something from her fight with Niko.

Masako started to sing, "Sama sun a fa suno kana mai fo shi nanado no soi can meai ah." The whimpering stopped and when they reached the building it had been coming from they found Niko kneeling on the ground, a letter in her hands. Deidara ran over to her and kneeled by her hugging her tightly. He was crying softly now too.

"What! How lame! We didn't even get to fight!" Hiden began yelling, but one look from Zestu shut him up. Masako walked over to Niko and took the letter from her hands. She read it silently to herself, and then re-read it out loud.

"My sister Niko,

Dad has gotten the entire clan worked up about killing you; he's convinced everyone else that you're evil. He told me that if I don't join him soon in the quest to find and kill you that he'll kill me. I told him to do whatever he pleased to me because I love you too much to let that asshole we call father convince me to hurt you. I'm leaving our village tonight. I'm not going to leave from the place I'm going until you come. I really hope you get this letter. Well, dearest little sister, my current location is," The letter was charred off from a fire at this part and you couldn't read it. "I hope you come and we may see each other again.

I'll love you forever,

Samerella"

Now Masako understood why Niko was crying, her sister had told where she was, but a fire had prevented Niko of knowing where. Niko cried harder into Deidara's chest after hearing the letter again.

Deidara looked up to Masako with an expression that asked, "What are we going to do?" Masako shook her head, she didn't know. Tinnara had a sad look in her eyes like she was about to cry. Tobi wasn't even trying to be annoying. All the people here right now cared about Niko and they all felt horrible watching her cry.

Then Masako and Tinnara heard it. From all the training the two had had all of their senses were very sharp and they heard the slightest scuff against the wooden floors. Masako and Tinnara both whipped out kunai.

"Who are you? Come out." Masako instructed. The others were looking the way the girls were waiting to see what was intruding. They all heard a whimper sound as a girl who looked about fifteen crawled out from behind the wall.

She was cruelly beautiful. She looked like an Ikamati, but her headband said she was from the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Her hair was long, almost to her waist. It was black, just like Niko's, except when she moved her head a blue streak would run through her hair, but then it would disappear… like it was never there. Her eyes were sliver with light blue flecks here and there. Her clothes were torn in places, dyed with red around the tares. Masako found it hard to look at her; she looked as if she had just escaped from hell. The girl began to crawl towards Niko, but stopped and stared at Deidara with her sliver eyes, her cruel silver eyes.

"Deidara move away from Niko." Masako said slowly, the words tasting like acid on her tongue.

"But," Deidara began to protest, but Masako just shook her head. There wasn't something right about this girl and she didn't want to take any chances. Deidara swallowed, but let go of Niko and walked to stand by Tinnara and hugged her instead. Tinnara hugged him back; they were all scared and to scare a ninja, just by your looks, takes _a lot_.

The girl sat right in front of Niko and stared at her. Niko still had tears in her eyes, but for the time being she'd stopped crying.

"Samerella lives." The girl whispered in her ear so quietly that the words were barley even audible. Niko nodded so the girl knew that she understood. The girl backed away a bit from Niko, but didn't leave. Masako was really the only person not completely immobilized by the girl's cruel looks.

"What do you want?" Masako asked, unable to keep the shake out of her voice. The girl just looked to Masako as if she was deciding how to answer a one million dollar question. Niko examined the girl and now that she was closer to her she could see that the girl had old bruises and new bruises, cuts and scars and blood stains all over her. This girl was beaten, but she somehow knew where Samerella was and how she was, Niko was relived of that. Niko looked down to her t-shirt; it was already exposing her mid-drift so a little more off the bottom shouldn't make much of a difference. She tore a small piece off that was already peeling and stuck it on one of the girl's newer cuts, still bleeding. She heard the girl take in a short, fast breath of air as the fabric hit her skin. Then she turned from Masako and looked at Niko.

"Thank you." She said this time it wasn't so quite and even Masako heard it. Despite her looks this girl sounded like an angel. This seemed to make the others a little less afraid of her as well.

"I only came here to seek your help." She said in her beautiful voice again. The more she spoke the less her cuts and cruel looks seemed to matter to anyone.

"What do you need our help for?" Masako asked more normally now, the girl's voice was soothing to her in a strange way.

"I need you to help me get away from the people who did _this_ to me." She said and gestured towards her various cuts and bruises. Masako nodded suddenly taking in the cuts and bruises again. The girl's image re-registering in her mind, the image from hell. The girl _was_ beaten by whoever looked over her in the clouds.

"Great! We need to go back to your camp site. To get the others and go back to the leaf." The girl smiled happily.

"Wait." Masako said still curious about one thing. The girl's smile faded but she watched Masako.

"What's your name?" Masako asked with the same normality. "Sorry. How did that slip my mind?" She said and smiled again. "My name is Kiru." She said her smile not fading even the slightest. Masako's eyes widened. "You know what your name means?" She asked.

Kiru nodded, "Yeah, behead." Masako nodded back slowly, frankly scared at this point.

"Let's head back then." Tinnara was the one to speak this time. Niko stood up and then they all left. Masako got Tobi behind everyone a few meters so she could talk to him, alone.

"Hi Masako! Tobi's a good boy!" He said when she and he were alone. They were all jumping through the trees back to the camps.

"Hey Tobi?" She asked.

He turned to her, she couldn't see his face, but the statement was radiating off of him, "No brother talk now, some other time." Was the statement. She nodded and surged forward to help Tinnara carry Kiru. Kiru was stronger then most beaten people, but she was still pretty unable of jumping through the trees as fast as they all were. When Masako got to them she nodded and Tinnara let her take over.

"Are you an Ikamati?" She asked when Tinnara was far enough away.

Kiru looked to her and nodded, "Did the ears revel me?" she asked sarcastically. Masako smiled and nodded.

"Then why don't you wear a stone headband like Niko?" She asked.

Kiru looked to her with her silver eyes and answered, "I was taken from my home as a child by some ninja in the clouds. I am a cloud ninja, even though I am from the stone." Masako nodded now understanding, Kiru had been trained in the clouds so she was a cloud ninja even if she was from the stone. When they made it back Hiden, Zestu, Kakazu and Tobi went back to the Akatsuki's camp to tell them that Deidara was still tracking down Niko. Deidara, Niko, Tinnara, Masako and Kiru went back to the Masako and Tinnara's camp to tell the others they needed to get home.

"We can't go back the Akatsuki are after you and Naruto!" Lee screamed at the news.

"Do you not see the girl, Lee?" Neji asked.

"No, I see the girl fine. A beautiful blonde that must be kept safe." He answered and Masako gagged, so did Tinnara.

"No you idiot… The one that Masako and Tinnara are helping to walk. She needs help because she's hurt." Neji informed him. Lee looked dumbstruck.

"I am Kiru. I require help from the leaf." Kiru said and Kakashi nodded understandingly. They all set off towards home, even Niko and Deidara. That night as everyone slept Masako sat up hugging her knees close to her. She _wanted_ to stay up tonight. She watched Kiru sleep. Kiru's abusers must be looking for her, and if they came Masako was ready to kill them. Kiru was a little scary, but really nice.

"You need sleep." A voice said from behind her.

"I'll sacrifice sleep to keep Kiru safe." She answered the voice; she knew exactly who it was. Gaara went to sit by her and stared at Kiru as well.

"You really care about this girl. Why?" He asked.

"She makes me remember someone whom I haven't been able to remember in forever." She answered. Gaara just looked at her with a questioning look.

"What do you mean?" He asked. Masako smiled as she felt a few hot tears run down her cheeks.

"What I mean is…"


	19. Chapter 19

Fourteen years ago:

"Here's your daughter and son." The doctor said and handed the Uchicha women her babies.

"Minato, come see your children." She said and a blonde man walked over.

"They look just like you." The women finished smiling down at the two babies, sleeping soundly in their mothers arms.

"They do, but the girl will have your eyes." Minato said. Then the women began to cry.

"What's wrong?" Minato asked his wife.

"You know what we have to do to save the leaf." She answered him. He sighed and nodded, then left to get prepared to seal the nine tailed fox inside the two twins.

"Bitter crimson tears, flow from lifeless eyes. And mingle with endless sands. Bestowing ever greater power upon the demon god." The women sang to her babies, tears falling down her face. The girl opened one of her eyes, saw her mother and opened the other. The women smiled down at her daughter. "Hello, Masako." She said warmly. The knowledge that this was probley the last time she'd see her daughter in the back of her brain. The baby girl smiled and giggled a cute baby giggle.

The women smiled, "You'll be great Masako. You can make me smile in even the most complicated situation." She said and put her son down on a small buddle of blankets near by. She lifted Masako with both hands to her face and Masako grabbed her mother's hair, her small eyes sad.

"You know what's happening, don't you?" Her mother asked. The baby just continued to stare at her mom.

"You do." She answered for her and picked her son back up. "Masako, Naruto I'll tell you now that living your life without me or your father will be hard, but from it you two shall make great friends and be the best ninja ever. I promise." The women finished and hugged her two children, now both awake.

"It's time." Minato said walking back into the room. The women nodded and handed him the twins. She left as he sealed the demon in the two kids. The women watched as her now crying daughter was taken from the village by the Third Hokage. She had gone back out to fight and didn't make it. She and her husband were both dead, but they lived on in the twins.

"I see." Gaara said when Masako finished telling him the memory that had come back to her just by seeing Kiru.

"Who knows what other memories will surface just because of her presence." Masako said and Gaara nodded.

"No one does, but you should still sleep." He answered. She gave him a look of sadness.

"I can't…" Was all she could say.

"I'll take watch, okay?" He asked and smiled. She trusted him, so Masako nodded reluctantly and went to sleep, but sleep didn't come easy. Masako tried for a long time to sleep, but she never got any. She wasn't tired anyway. She sat up.

"Gaara, I can't sleep. Can you knock me out?" She asked Gaara. He shrugged, but knocked her out. The next morning she woke like everyone else, well maybe with a headache, but it was worth it if she got _some_ sleep at least. They traveled for the rest of the day and late that night they had made it to the leaf.

"Home again." Masako said quietly as she helped Kiru limp her way to Lady Tsunade's office.

"My god! I thought you knew medical techniques Masako!" Tsunade had said when she saw Kiru.

"I do, but I wasn't sure what to use or if I even knew a good one to use." She answered sheepishly.

"Its okay, don't blame Masako, she has been a great help, they all have." Kiru said smiling.

"I don't see how you can smile in your condition." Tsunade said as she and Masako help Kiru to the hospital and into a bed. "Masako, I still need your help and your brothers and your friends. This isn't all I need." Kiru said when she had finally been laid in a bed.

Masako nodded, "Okay, Kiru, but first Mama Tsunade has to patch you up." Masako smiled and Kiru smiled back.

"You leaf ninja are so caring, thank you so much." Kiru said then she passed out from the IV in her arm.

"She's a nice girl, where'd you find her?" Tsunade asked as she waited for the knock out fluid and numbing fluid to take full effect.

"We ran into her in the stone village, she was in the remains of the Ikamati clan's village." She answered.

"She's from the cloud though?" Tsunade asked.

"No, she was taken from the stone as a child and raised by some cloud ninja and she became a cloud ninja, but they abuse her badly." Masako said and she took another look at the various cuts and bruises on Kiru's unconscious body. She swallowed around a big lump that had just appeared in her throat.

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious that she's been beaten, but why?" Tsunade asked also looking at Kiru. Masako just shook her head.

"I could ask her why when she wakes up, but for most people when they abuse someone they don't need or want any reason." She said then turned and left the room.

"It took awhile, but she'll be fine." Tsunade said walking out of the room about an hour later.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked as she sat down next to Masako. "Nothing." Masako said then added, "I'm glad Kiru is doing well, I'll be back tomorrow. Tell her that." She said then left the hospital. She went to the forest and climbed a tree. She sat in the top branches and just thought. After awhile a butterfly flew and up and sat on her shoulder. She smiled and admired its beautiful wings.

"I thought you'd like it." Shino said as he climbed up the tree and sat next to her too.

"Thanks I do." She answered. "Shino, could we spend tonight on that cliff, you know the one you took me to for our last date?" She asked not looking at him.

"Sure, with sleeping bags and all right?" He asked.

She smiled and nodded, "Sleeping bags and all." The two got the stuff they needed for an over night stay outside and headed out. Masako was in her pajamas, which tonight were just sweats and a long sleeve shirt. She was sitting at the edge of the cliff and looking over to the village below.

"I take it you didn't want to come here just because. What's on your mind?" Shino asked coming to sit by her and putting his arm around her when he made it.

"It's just Kiru. I worry so much about her. She's also been bringing back painful and nice memories, which I didn't even know I knew." She answered as she laid her head on his chest. He stroked her hair.

"Kiru seems nice, but how do you think she's surfacing these memories?" He asked. Masako just shook her head.

"She's different, her name means behead you know." She said.

Shino raised an eyebrow, "Interesting choice on her parent's part." He said.

Masako laughed lightly, "Shino you always know how to make me laugh. That's why I wanted to come here with you." She said. Shino smiled and since it was getting dark he had fireflies light the area around them.

"Shino, you rock." Masako said and hugged him. He smiled and hugged her back.

"I know." He said. The next morning the two woke up _very_ cold.

"S-shino, we d-didn't sleep in our s-sleeping bags." Masako shivered.

"I'm warm enough with just you by my heart." He said and smiled at her. She glared back, but hid a smile.

"Good for you, I'm cold." She said and hugged him tightly. "Warm me up?" She asked. He smirked and wrapped his arms around her.

"Masako! God, why the hell are you up…ah!" Naruto screamed running up the hill. Masako and Shino were sharing a small kiss when he made it.

"Bug boy again…I wish you'd date Kiba really, or Lee." Naruto said and his eye twitched.

"I'll date Lee after you!" Masako screamed at him. Shino smuggled a laugh.

Naruto shook his head violently, "Never mind. Grandma Tsunade needs you now." He said.

"For what?" Masako asked.

"It's Kiru, she's in trouble." Masako's eyes widened…


	20. Chapter 20

Masako unraveled herself from Shino's arms.

"What kind of trouble…" She asked grinding her teeth and holding Naruto's shirt collar.

He just shook his head, "She just told me to get you. Fast." Was his answer.

She took in a breath, "Shino, I've got to go." She said. He nodded to her and she and Naruto took off towards the hospital.

"They're in here." Naruto said and lead her to a room labeled 'Intensive Care Ward. Room 7'

'_I don't like the sound of that._' Masako thought as she read the sign. The twins burst threw the door.

"What's wron…?" Masako began, but was cut off by the sight. Tsunade was sitting in a chair off to the side with her head down and some fifteen medics were standing by. Kiru was in the center of an interact design of lines, and swirls. They all led right up to where her heart was.

"What happened…?" Masako asked darkly, she was getting mad. If anyone said one word wrong she could crack.

"Her heart just gave out…" Tsunade answered.

"That's bull shit and you know it Mama Tsunade!" Masako screamed. "When I brought her in her heart was fine! You people did something!" She ran to one of the stations where the surgeons went to do their job.

"No!" One medic yelled at her.

She turned to him, her curse mark across her face, "Wanna say that again? Choose wisely because if you say yes you may be the next one to be there." She said and gestured towards the design. He shook his head and backed away towards the other medics again. Masako kneeled in the medic spot and started to work her curse mark and fox magic. Kiru started to move after a few minuets and after a half an hour she was better again. She could walk and even some of her cuts were gone. "What were you saying Mama Tsunade?" Masako asked the Hokage. Since Kiru was well enough to leave the hospital, Masako took her.

"I'll take you to my house. You can live with me and my brother." She told her smiling. Kiru smiled back. When they reached Masako and Naruto's small house Kiru fell right asleep in the guest bed. After she was asleep Masako left. It was already pretty dark outside, but she went to the forest anyways.

"Hey, how'd we know you'd be here?" A voice said from behind her. Masako froze dead in her tracks.

She knew that voice good enough, "Hello, Kisame, and I bet," She paused and turned around, "Yep, Itachi too." She smirked. After what had happened today she wanted to kill someone. "Hey brother!" Said a voice not far behind them.

'_Man, do I have to watch Sasuke fight Itachi again_?' Masako thought to herself.

"It can't be." Kisame said quietly.

"Oh, yes it can." The voice said.

'_That's too high to be Sasuke's voice…_' Masako thought.

"Family reunion! Shetani is here!" A girl said and appeared behind the two. She had a mist headband around her neck and she had burgundy hair that just brushed her shoulders. She wore a shirt that had sleeves that went to her elbows that was a simple green, she had capris like Masako's that were black.

"Shetani, you're supposed to be under strict guard in the mist." Kisame said turning to the girl.

"You ruin everything brother. For your information those guards suck at fighting." Shetani said and smirked.

"You actually fought and won against those guards… but mom sent for the most powerful they could find!" Kisame said.

"Well, I guess I'm just better." Shetani smiled. "Plus, I couldn't stand letting you have all the fun!" She said.

"Go back home to mother…" Kisame said darkly.

"And if I don't?" Shetani asked. Kisame just looked at her.

"I mean come on, mom hates me." She said.

"She always did seem to like me more." Kisame answered.

"You know the only reason she liked you more was because…" Shetani began.

"Don't go there." Kisame warned.

Shetani nodded her head, "Oh, yeah… she treated you better because you were…_blue!_" She announced.

"Why did you have to go there?!" Kisame asked and raised his sword and began to bring it down on Shetani.

"Stop. Or I'll tell mom on you." Shetani warned. Kisame stopped and put his sword back on his back.

"Geez, Pein… pair me with the blue guy who's afraid of his mother…" Itachi said shaking his head.

"Wanna meet my mom Itachi? Then maybe you'll understand!" Kisame yelled. Masako was still just off to the side wondering what was going on.

"Hey, who's your friend Kisame?" Shetani asked and took a step towards Itachi.

"That's Itachi, why?" He asked.

"He's cute, duh…" Shetani answered.

"I'm Shetani. Nice to meet you." She said and stuck out her hand. Itachi just glared and didn't take it.

"I love the quite type." She said dreamily. Kisame slapped his forehead.

"Shetani you'll have to come back to the Akatsuki with us." He told her. Shetani just nodded.

"Uh, can I like go then?" Masako asked. Kisame looked over to her. Itachi would've too, but he was to busy keeping Shetani away from him.

"Oh, I forgot all about you… We'll have to come back another time." Kisame said as Itachi started to run from Shetani.

"No! No hugs! Not the hug of death!" Itachi screamed and Kisame shook his head and ran after the two. Masako just raised an eyebrow wondering if any of that had really happened. It wasn't going away so she guessed it had. She shrugged and walked around the forest aimlessly for about an hour with no interruptions. Then she saw him. It was the Sasori guy from before he was talking to Deidara and wearing…an Akatsuki cloak.

'_Sasori's in the Akatsuki_?' Masako thought as she quickly and quietly climbed a tree near the two.

"Kisame's little sister came in handy, huh Sasori- no danna?" Deidara asked. Sasori just nodded.

"She did, those two did a good job."

'_What are they up too_?' Masako thought from her place in the tree.

"Do you think she'll guess that we're going after Gaara of the desert now?" Deidara asked. Masako gulped. They wanted Gaara's demon first. She flipped down from the tree not caring how loud she was and began to run to the sand. It didn't take to long to get there, maybe a couple days. When she made it she ran to Gaara's office as fast as she could and burst threw the door.

"Gaara! You need to leave! The Aka…" Masako began, but didn't get to finish, she fell to the ground unconscious.

"Guess she figured it out after all, un." Deidara said from behind her.

"Time to come with us, Gaara." Sasori said walking in behind Deidara. Gaara put up a good fight against Deidara, but it wasn't enough. Deidara captured him and took him and Masako back to the Akatsuki. Masako blinked her eyes tiredly and tried to move her arms, but they were chained above her head to a wall. She looked up and saw two giant hands with every member of the Akatsuki standing on one of the fingers. There was a blue bubble in between the hands and Gaara was inside it.

"Gaara!" Masako yelled, the tears starting to run down her cheeks. Gaara let out a small scream, he was still alive. "Masako…" He said weakly.

"What? Gaara I'm here!" She screamed still crying.

"When we decided to be just friends…" He continued. Masako looked up to him, begging the tears to stop, but they didn't.

"I only agreed because it seemed like you wanted it and I'll always do whatever makes you happy…the truth remains…" He smiled even though he was in a bad situation. "I love you, and I always will." He said then let out another scream of pain. Masako just dropped her head. She's heard screams like that all too often; she knew very well what it meant.

"It's over, the boy is dead." Pein said. The members started to disappear one by one. Most of them were there as holograms. Masako was still crying and still chained to a wall.

"Can I go now?" She asked softly.

"But, of course. Let the girl go Deidara." Sasori said. Hearing his voice and knowing that he had just helped in the killing of Gaara made Masako furious at him, Deidara too. Deidara walked over to her cautiously, like he should. He un- chained her hands and she punched him in the jaw before running out of there as fast as possible.

"Bitch." Deidara swore under his breath while rubbing his jaw. Masako just shook her head and kept running until she bumped into someone.

"Masako, your okay." The voice said. She recognized it right away and just wrapped her arms around his neck. Neji had no idea what was going on, but he hugged her back.

"They killed Gaara." She whispered quietly into Neji's chest. He looked to the others. Guy and Kakashi shook their heads in silence. Tenten, Sakura and Tinnara all bowed theirs in respect. Naruto twirled his sister out of Neji's arms and into his own. He felt like she needed to be with him at the time. Lee went over and patted Masako's shoulder as she continued to cry on Naruto. Sasori's grandma was there and shook her head.

'_You killed another Kazakage, Sasori_.' She thought. Masako's crying stopped after a while and she let go of her brother.

"Is he really dead?" Naruto asked looking into her eyes, just as vivid blue as his.

Masako nodded, "I know the scream of death brother. I hear it a lot." She answered and looked to the ground.

"We'll teach them a lesson! Come on!" Naruto said and turned around, but Masako grabbed his coat and pulled him back.

"The most we can do now is get the Akatsuki out of the way so they can't do this again. Gaara, I'm afraid, is a lost cause." She said. Naruto grinded his teeth, but nodded.

"I'm sorry my grandson did this to your friend." Sasori's grandma said. Masako looked up to her.

"Me too." Was all she said. The ninja all walked to the place Masako had just seen Gaara die and found Deidara and Sasori, but Sasori was in another body. Masako's curse mark spread across her face at what Deidara was doing. He was sitting on Gaara's dead body!

"Deidara, get off Gaara or die." Masako said darkly grinding her teeth so hard she wouldn't be surprised if she had none after this. Deidara just smirked.

"No thanks, he comfy, un." He said and Masako ran at him, making him and Sasori stand up and back off. She grabbed Gaara's body and went back to her comrades. She laid Gaara on the ground in front of Sasori's grandma and Sakura, they were medical ninja. Even though Masako and Tinnara were too, they were good fighters and the others needed them. "Now that Gaara's in good hands… It's time for you to die!" Masako screamed. The curse mark was back on her collar bone, but the fox wasn't behind the seal. Her eyes were red and slit her teeth sharp, her nails too. Naruto was the same. Tinnara's curse mark was across her face the strange design making her look scary.

"Wait!" A voice said and ran in behind Sakura and Sasori's grandma. It was Kiru, she seemed better and her clothes weren't ripped anymore.

"I'll fight too." She said and went to stand by Masako.

"Kiru, you don't have to." Masako said.

"I want to. Plus, I haven't gotten to use my kekkei genkai in a while." Kiru answered then completely transformed. Her cat ears got bigger, her already big fangs got huge and her claws got sharper. She even got a tail, as black as her hair. She laughed a little.

"Ikamati style: full cat transformation." She said. Masako smiled at her and the fight began.


	21. Chapter 21

"You're an Ikamati to, un?" Deidara asked Kiru.

She nodded, "What's it to you, blondie?" she teased.

Deidara glared at her, "My friend Niko is too. I know almost everything there is to know about the Ikamati clan." He answered a grin spreading across his face.

"To bad not one Ikamati in the last four hundred years has used the full cat transformation. So I'm guessing it's new to you." Kiru answered. Deidara shrugged. It was new to him, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

"It is new to you." Kiru smiled.

"How did you know?" Deidara asked as he widened his eyes.

"In this form I can read minds. Well, the thoughts that are on top are the ones that are easiest to hear." Kiru smiled and Masako and Tinnara smiled too.

Deidara nodded, "I see." He said and Masako and Tinnara let their curse marks spread across their faces. Tinnara threw her head back and let out a laugh.

"What are you laughing about, un?!" Deidara screamed angrily. "We fight so often and now we fight again. It will be a pleasure to kill you as usual." She laughed. Deidara's eye twitched.

"No Tinnara. Neji, you'll take Deidara." Masako said.

"What?!" Tinnara screamed.

"Its best, plus. I need your help." Masako said and smiled.

"I'll take Itachi okay?" Tinnara answered.

Masako nodded at her, "Okay bro. You're with me, we got Sasori." Masako said as she let her curse mark go back to her collar bone. Naruto nodded and everyone split up to fight the Akatsuki again, but this time they all had new battles to fight. 'Obito, you won't need to interfere this time, Naruto and I will get the job done.' Masako smiled as her and Naruto began to fight Sasori. He fought with puppets and they were hard to dodge. Plus, Masako was making sure Naruto was safe and fighting and dodging all at the same time.

"Naruto!" She screamed as she pushed him out of the way of a puppet. Sasori was distracting him from the other side and having one sneak up behind him.

"Thanks sis." Naruto said as he stood up again. Masako had pushed him to the ground while saving him.

"No problem." She answered.

"This guys hard." She said panting. Naruto nodded in agreement. Masako looked over to Sasori who was trying to pinpoint their hiding spot. An evil grin spread across her face. "I like that smile." Naruto said and gave a smile of his own. "And I like my idea." Masako answered him and whispered her plan in his ear. He nodded telling her that he understood and Masako quickly and quietly made her way to the other side of Sasori, without being seen. Naruto watched her and when she nodded the two charged at Sasori with Rasengan's at hand. Just as the two were about to hit him, Sasori took out two kunai and hit them both square in the foreheads. Killing them instantly and at the _exact same moment_…

Sasori walked away as the dead twins fell onto the ground. "Hmph. They actually thought they stood a chance." He said and smiled to himself. Then he heard a loud, low growl from behind him and turned to see what it was. There was a red angry fox connecting the two twins.

"A moment later on just one of them and I'd be free!" It growled and split in two and each half retreated into a different twin. The two sat up. Red charka was flowing from their bodies; their finger nails were long and sharp, as were their teeth. Sasori stared in disbelief.

"How the…?" He couldn't finish his sentence due to shock.

"Hey look bro." Masako said as black charka strings erupted from the tips of her fingers. She used them to grab one of Sasori's fallen puppets, a boulder and then Sasori himself. She could control anything. She made Sasori come over to her and Naruto helped with his new blue charka strings.

"Looks like we can't be killed at the exact same time…" Masako hissed as she pulled Sasori close to her.

"It would also appear that we got a stronger version of your best jutsu… I don't like to be lied to, Sasori… but I'm feeling nice so maybe, just maybe, I won't kill you. At least not today." She finished.

"Say goodnight." Naruto said and as Sasori turned to look at him, he was knocked out cold. Masako got rid of her charka strings as she and Naruto walked towards their waiting teammates.

"It's awesome how we can learn a new jutsu just by being killed. I mean we're masters at it and just because we died!" He smiled at his sister.

"Sure is." She smiled back at him. When they reached their team Masako was about to ask them how all of their fights went over because as far as she could see none of the others looked like they were hurt that bad.

"Deidara!" They all turned towards the scream. Masako ran over to where she'd heard it and saw Niko leaning over Deidara and crying.

"Don't die Deidara. Don't die on me." She was saying through tears.

"What happened to him?" Masako asked kneeling on the other side of him.

"That Neji kid." Niko said with a look of murder in her eyes. "Back up." Masako told her. Niko obeyed somewhat hesitantly. Masako did a few hand signs and black charka erupted from her hand.

"You can't do that technique." Niko told her. "Your chakra is probably already down from the fight. You'll only be killing yourself and barley helping him." She said.

"You're wrong." Masako said as she put charka out of her other hand too. "My necklace has _years_ of charka stored in it." Masako said tilting her head towards her necklace which had already begun to lose its black color.

"Amazing. You're so powerful and not a year over fourteen." Niko said amazed.

"Tinnara! I need your help!" Masako screamed. "Even I need help sometimes." She said and smiled at Niko. Tinnara ran over and kneeled next to Masako with chakra already flowing out of her hands.

"Uh… Niko? Are you there, un?" Deidara asked weakly.

"Yes. I'm here." Niko answered happily. "Thank you Masako, Tinnara." Niko said as she smiled at the two.

"Are you in the Akatsuki too?" Tinnara asked.

"Yes." Niko answered. "I couldn't stand being away from Deidara much longer." She finished.

"You grew up with Deidara, right?" Masako asked.

"Yeah. We would always get in trouble." Niko said happily. "The best time was for our first homemade bombs." She said and smiled.

"That was the greatest, un." Deidara said struggling a little, but not much.

"Done. He should be better now. Try and sit up." Masako said and put her chakra back into her necklace and it turned black again.

"Thank you, un." Deidara said as he sat up. He looked fine again. "Tinnara," He said looking straight into Tinnara's eyes. She was still thoroughly pissed at him, but looked back.

"I'm really sorry I had to betray and hurt you. I'm even sorrier for starting to like you and then betraying you." He said and his blue eyes gleamed.

"I'm glad you're okay." Tinnara told him smiling.

'_Good, she's warmed up to him again_.' Masako thought smiling. She nodded to Niko who nodded back. They were going to get those two to kiss before the night was over.

"Now." Masako mouthed as she shoved herself into Tinnara who thrust forward. Niko did the same to Deidara. The result was their lips meeting mid-way. They both looked shocked, but quickly forgot about the shock as they began to kiss. Their eyes drifted shut. They were having a nice time.

"Mission complete." Masako and Niko said high-fiving each other.

"Senpai?" A voice questioned coming their way.

"Here comes Tobi. Let's see what he thinks of _this_ display." Niko said to Masako.

'_At least it's not me… my big brother seeing me make out with his friend…awkward_.' Masako thought to herself. Tinnara and Deidara were completely oblivious to everything happening around them.

"Senpai?" Tobi asked again. "Hi Niko! Hi Masako!" He said when he rounded the corner.

"Where's senpa—?" Tobi began but was cut off by the sight of Deidara kissing Tinnara.

"SENPAI?! What are you doing?!" Tobi asked looking horrified. Deidara opened one of his eyes and glared at Tobi, but kept kissing Tinnara. After a little longer he pulled apart from Tinnara. Tinnara blushed realizing that Tobi, whom she'd become friends with at the Akatsuki headquarters, had just witnessed her kiss with Deidara.

"It's called kissing Tobi…" Deidara said obviously upset. "We were having a great time until you came." He finished and winked at Tinnara. This only made her blush grow darker. "Tinnara! Masako! Let's go home!" They heard Naruto scream.

"Coming!" Masako shouted back. She got up and pulled Tinnara up with her.

"I'll see you again, Tinnara. Bye Masako." Deidara said looking sad.

"Bye guys." Niko said.

"Bye- bye." Tobi waved. Masako smiled at the three and as they walked off to join their team she could faintly hear Deidara explaining to Tobi the art of kissing.

She shook her head when she heard Tobi ask, "Can I practice on Niko-chan?"

"Ew! No! Use Itachi." Niko responded smiling.

"Okay!" Tobi answered and ran off.

Masako shook her head, '_They're not bad people. They're just with a bad organization…_' She thought as she and Tinnara reached their team.

"Let's go home already. I need to eat some ramen! I'm so hungry!" Naruto complained.

Tinnara just waked him in the back of the head, "You. Are. A. Idiot." She told him.

'_She's stating a true fact, but she's probley also a little mad about the Deidara kissing thing too. So she blames Naruto… Works for me._' Masako thought to herself as she laughed. "Ow…" Naruto said and rubbed the back of his head.

"You baby." Masako said as she hit him too.

"What is this? 'Hit Naruto on the back of the head day'?" He asked as he rubbed his head some more.

Masako and Tinnara just started laughing, "Yeah." They both answered together then started to laugh more. Naruto just mumbled grumpily the rest of the way home.


	22. Chapter 22

"Wait! I forgot something!" Tinnara said as they all continued to walk.

"Where?" Neji asked.

"The Akatsuki headquarters. It'll only be a little then I'll be home." She promised as she started to go.

"I'll go too." Masako said.

"Masako, its okay…" Tinnara began but Masako cut her off,

"No, I haven't gotten a lot of at home time with all my friends' safe lately and I want some. I'm coming too so you'll for sure make it home safe." She finished and smiled.

Tinnara nodded, "Okay, see you guys at home!" She said as the two walked off. They weren't far so they made it to the Akatsuki headquarters in no time.

"Hey I forgot something and I'm getting it!" Tinnara screamed as she burst threw the door. Pein, Hiden, Kakazu and Konan were sitting at the table again and playing cards.

"Not again…" Hiden muttered.

"No, it's okay Hiden. Masako's already seen this and Tinnara already knows. Get whatever you girls' need." Pein said and though he was incased in shadows you could here the smile in his voice. Hiden shrugged and started playing again.

"Deidara kissed a girl! A girl! A girl!" Masako and Tinnara heard a chant coming from the hallway. Tobi and Niko came from it, they were the source.

"Tobi kissed a girl too!" Niko screamed.

"I am not a girl!" Itachi screamed.

"Whatever you say…" Niko teased.

"Hey Niko, I'll show you my Mangekyo now…" Itachi said and smiled.

"No way! You're mad now!" Niko screamed.

"Hey! This is the girl that Deidara-sempai kissed!" Tobi said as he ran over to Tinnara.

"Tinnara-chan, you kissed Deidara?" Hiden asked and Sasori walked in with puzzled look on his face and Itachi looked to her with one too.

"Um… yes." Tinnara answered as she attempted to hide herself behind Masako.

"TOBI STOP THAT OR I'LL… Tinnara?" Deidara said running in from another room.

She smiled, "Yeah, I forgot something. It's in your room." She said quietly.

"Oh, okay." Deidara answered blushing. He walked over to Tinnara and wrapped her up in his cloak with him and brought her to his room. Masako and Tobi giggled a little but a back glance from Deidara shut them both up.

Tobi gave Masako a hug, "Hi Masako-chan!" He said.

"Hi Tobi-kun." She answered hugging him back.

"Leave now…" Tobi whispered, he was being more like Obito now and he was warning her, but why? Masako opened her mouth to ask why but he continued,

"Pein made sure something of Tinnara's was left, you're in danger. I didn't think you'd come but I realize that you are worried about your comrades. You don't want to loose them. You won't I promise they don't want Tinnara they want you." He finished then pulled away.

"Come see this Masako-chan!" He said as Tobi again and took her by the hand to pull her away but Pein stood up.

"No Tobi. She must stay here." He said. Just as the members in the Akatsuki began to approach her in a way that made her very uncomfortable Tinnara ran into the room.

"You guys suck!" She screamed as she jumped in front of Masako. Her eyes were the same as her father's. She was mad…_very_ mad.

"I leave for one minuet and…" Tinnara began, but stopped when she heard a thump behind her. She turned around and saw Itachi smiling evilly.

"Damn you." Tinnara said and she picked Masako up and carried her out of there as fast as possible.

Masako blinked her eyes and looked around. She saw a window and as she looked more she saw Naruto. She just looked at him wondering why he was here and where she was.

"You're up…" Naruto said softly.

"Where was I?" Masako asked.

"You've been unconscious for four days straight. I thought I lost you." He said and smiled at her.

"Four days?" She asked puzzled.

He nodded, "Yeah, I'll be back." Naruto finished then left the room. Masako sat up in her bed. With one look out the window she knew where she was, Konaha.

'_That's right… Itachi used Mangekyo on me while Tinnara was distracted. Damn it…_' Masako thought as she slammed a fist on the side table.

"Well you must be better…" A voice said from near by. Masako turned her head and looked out the window. There they were, sitting outside. Shino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, Lee, Hinata, Ino, Choji, Sai, Tenten and Sakura.

"Hi guys." Masako smiled. Most of them she wasn't surprised to see, but Sai. He wasn't around her much. Hinata smiled warmly at her. It was funny, Hinata always told Masako she was beautiful and Masako couldn't help but wonder if it was because Hinata liked Naruto so much that she thought Masako was cute too. Hinata was a good friend, although weak, but she was always there.

"How are you my beautiful, blossoming flower?" Lee asked. Masako looked at him like he was insane, which was possible. Kiba just started laughing, "What so funny, dog boy?" Lee asked turning to him.

"Nothing…" Kiba said still laughing a little.

"You any better?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, a little…" Masako answered. Her eyes widened, "Where's Tinnara?" She asked worried all over again.

"She fine, lay down and all of you leave…" Another voice said walking into the room. Her friends all smiled and waved as they jumped away.

"How are you feeling?" Mama Tsunade asked as she sat on the edge of Masako's bed. Naruto was with her and went to the other side where he was before.

"Fine, really…" Masako answered.

Mama Tsunade stroked her hair, "You had me worried sick…" She said softly.

"Naruto, you mind. I need to talk with Masako for a second." She asked. Naruto nodded and left the room quietly.

"Why is he so quite?" Masako asked. Mama Tsunade didn't smile or change her expression she just kept looking at Masako like she was looking at the dead body of a four year old kid. She shook her head, "Masako, something happened to you while you were in Itachi's Mangekyo sharingan… something bad." Mama Tsunade said, she had stopped stroking Masako's hair before she began to talk.

"What…?" Masako asked.

"We don't know what it is or why he did it, but Masako… If we were to talk technically I'd have to say I'm talking to a dead person…" Mama Tsunade said tenderly.

"What?" Masako asked, she was _really_ confused.

"You don't have a heart beat, but the blood flows and everything…" Mama Tsunade said quietly. Masako's hand shot to her heart as soon as she heard this, but it was beating… "My heart beats fine." Masako said and grabbed Mama Tsunade's hand and had her feel it. Her eyes widened as she felt the pump.

"I'm sorry, it wasn't beating… Masako, your eyes…" She said and pointed to Masako's face. Masako reached her hand up and there was blood flowing out of her eyes.

"Itachi did something to me!" She screamed. "I don't remember what went on in the Mangekyo, but he did this to me!" She screamed louder. Itachi was told to do something sinister, evil, to her in that Mangekyo.

"I can help…" A voice came and there stood Kisame's little sister, Masako remembered watching her and her brother fight before.

"I'm Shetani and I can help." She said and walked over to Masako and preformed a medical technique. In no time Masako's eyes stopped bleeding and the blood was all gone. "Thank you, Shetani." Masako said smiling. Shetani smiled back, she seemed so different from before, like she'd been through some experience that changed her heart.

"What brings you here?" Masako asked.

'_She was going to the Akatsuki before…_' She thought.

"The Akatsuki told me to leave and never go back; my mom doesn't want me I know so I thought that maybe the Leaf would accept me with open arms…" She said and looked over to Mama Tsunade.

"I went looking for you, Masako, because you seemed popular and very kind." Shetani finished.

Masako looked over to Mama Tsunade, "What do you say? She seems to be a skilled medical ninja and if she betrays us I have no problem killing her." When Masako mentioned the fact that she herself would kill Shetani if it came to it Shetani's eyes widened and she looked scared.

'_Well look at that… the girl barley knows me and yet she already knows that I'll kill her without remorse._' Masako thought smiling.

Mama Tsunade nodded, "Okay, I'll have the Anbu prepare an apartment for her to stay in." She said and left the room. Masako just stared at Shetani with her vivid blue eyes.

"What'd he do?" She finally asked.

"Huh?" Shetani asked scared.

'_Masako Uzumaki, she was trained by Zabuza of the mist. He was the keeper of a legendary sword like Kisame…_' Shetani thought as she looked at Masako's old, worn mist headband around her arm.

"What did Itachi do to me?" Masako asked. She was getting frustrated. She knew Shetani knew, but she wasn't talking.

"I don't know, but I knew how to counter it…" Shetani said and looked to the ground.

"Whatever, get out." Masako said the words so… differently… it scared Shetani and she quickly got up and scurried out of the room. Mama Tsunade had sent Naruto home a little while ago so Masako had some time to think. Or so she thought.

Not long after Shetani left a voice came from the window,

"What's up?" Was all it said. With those two short words Masako knew who it was…

"Impossible… I saw you die…" She said turning her head, but sure enough outside her window sat Gaara and he looked fine. Tears welded up in her eyes as she quietly mouthed his name, "Gaara…?" He nodded. She jumped out of her hospital bed and ran over to the opened window and hugged him.

"I never want this dream to end…" She cried into his shoulder as she embraced him.

"It's not a dream… Sasori's grandmother sacrificed her life to save me…" He said.

Masako looked up, her eyes still filled with tears, "Really?" She asked.

Gaara nodded, "I gave her an honorable burial back in the sand." He said.

"I'll have to remember to stop by and thank her." Masako said as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and smiled. Gaara smiled too.

"Can you not control sand anymore?" Masako asked him.

"I can, but it's harder now without a demon's help." He said and smiled some more. Masako was overwhelmed with happiness, Gaara was alive he hadn't died… it was perfect. Masako gave him another hug, "I was going to go insane if I never got to see you smile again Gaara." She said.

She felt him nod, "Me too." He answered. The two didn't say anything for a while just held the embrace.

After a little Masako lifted her head and asked, "Gaara, do you really mean what you said in your final moments?"

His eyes got soft, like they often did around her and Tinnara,

"Yes. Every word." He answered.

Masako smiled at him, "I'm glad you care so much, but be careful. That love could one day turn against you." She said and pulled away. He just looked at her as she walked over to her bed and sat on the edge facing the window.

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked.

"Past experiences Gaara. Yoshimaru, and then with me it was…" Masako said but her voice trailed off.

Twelve Years Ago:

The little two year old blinked up to the sky. "Blue." She pointed. Tsunade looked to her with loving eyes. The little girl wasn't her daughter, but she didn't have parents and she loved her. Masako turned to Tsunade and pointed to her own big eyes, "Blue." She repeated. Tsunade nodded and picked the little girl up and sat her in her lap. This was their last day together, but she knew that Masako was beyond understanding that. Tsunade hugged the girl very tightly as she sat on the bench waiting for the Third Hokage to come and get her.

"I'll miss you so much Masako. I'll come back one day. Promise." She said and started crying. Masako pushed her away a little so they both looked into each others eyes.

"Mama." Masako pointed to Tsunade. She smiled softly and Masako giggled. Just then the Third Hokage walked up. He just looked at Tsunade and she nodded as she handed Masako to him.

Masako's eyes got big as she understood what was happening, "Mama Liar! Lie! Mama no love Masako!" The little girl screamed as the Third Hokage carried her off. Tsunade stood there crying for a while. Did her little girl really just say those words? _"Mama no love Masako!" _She'd screamed. Those four words haunted Tsunade as she left the village that night.

Mama Tsunade stood outside Masako's hospital room door and was about to open it when she heard what she said about love. Tsunade remembered back to when she was the one who turned love against Masako. The tears blurred her vision as she remembered that day so clearly. When the tears were gone she opened the door. Masako was asleep in her bed and Gaara was gone.

'_How long was I out there?_' Tsunade thought as she went over to the sleeping Masako. She pulled back the covers that were over her face, but she was gone.


	23. Chapter 23

Masako surged threw the forest. After talking with Gaara Masako realized where she really wanted to be. She wanted to be with her big brother, Obito. When she got to the Akatsuki headquarters she knocked on what she was sure was a door by now. Deidara opened it and as soon as he saw her he looked around outside and dragged her in.

"What are you doing? Do you have a death wish?" He asked.

Masako shook her head, "I want to see Tobi…" She said quietly. Deidara's eyes softened as he realized that she was crying.

"You're just lucky everyone else was gone or they'd hurt you. I worry about you Masako." He said and wrapped her up in his cloak because it had been raining on her way there and she was soaked and shivering.

"You do?" Masako asked looking up to him.

He nodded, "Yeah. You're Tinnara's best friend. If anything happened to you I'd be just as hurt as her. You have a way of growing on people Masako."

He smiled and she smiled back and hugged him, "Thank you Deidara… kun." He led her to Tobi's room and Tobi wrapped her up in his cloak and brought her into his room. He slipped out of the cloak and let her sit on his bed wrapped up in its warmth.

"What are you doing?" He asked removing his mask so she could see his face. It was only the second time she'd seen it, but it look so familiar to her.

"I wanted to see you brother… after talking with Gaara I wanted to see you…" Masako answered and dropped her head. She traced one of the clouds with her finger then felt strong arms wrap around her pulling her in. She looked up and into her brother's red sharingan.

"I always love seeing you sister, but the Akatsuki want to kill you now… Niko, Deidara and I are probley the only ones who don't want to kill you. I love you and I'll protect you with my life. You have to go home now… I'd imagine Tsunade is worried about you." Masako just then realized that she had left Mama Tsunade like she'd done to her.

Back in the Leaf:

Naruto had brought Kakashi and Tinnara with him the next morning to see Masako. When they walked in her room all they found was Tsunade sitting on the edge of the bed, crying. She had a note in her hand and Kakashi walked over to her and took it. He read it to himself then passed it to Tinnara who passed it to Naruto. Leave it to him to read it aloud.

He read, "Everyone, sorry to leave like this but there is someone I wanted to see. I'll be back soon enough. No worries. Love, Masako."

Tsunade shook her head, "I sent some Anbu to the sand to see if she was there with Gaara, who came here last night, but when they returned they said that Gaara told them that he had left her asleep in her bed." She shook her head some more.

"She'll come back. Masako has a strong heart and would never just leave like this and never return. It might be in a few seconds, days, weeks, months, years. You never really know with her, but she'll be back." Kakashi said then took Naruto and Tinnara home.

At the Akatsuki Headquarters:

"Deidara, do you mind taking Masako-chan back to the leaf? We need to send her with an escort in case she runs into trouble." Tobi said. He looked like Tobi but was acting like Obito.

Deidara nodded, "Sure no problem." He answered.

Tobi nodded and pulled Masako into a hug, "Be careful next time. I'll come to you from now on. And remember, your brothers both love you very much." He whispered in her ear. She smiled and gave him a light kiss on the cheek, "Thanks Bro." She smiled.

Deidara came back in the room then, "Let's go." He said and threw Masako one of his older looking cloaks to keep her hidden. The cloaks were very good at that. She wrapped herself up in it and felt instantly warmer. The cloaks were made of cotton and very warm and as Masako had told Tobi earlier, "Fuzzy."

"Warm and fuzzy like a bunny." Masako smiled and Deidara let out a laugh.

"You're really random, un." He told her.

Masako smiled at him and nodded, "Uh, huh. So I bet you're going to see Tin-tin-chan in the leaf right?" She asked him as they jumped through the trees.

"It's a possibility." He said then the two laughed like old friends. When they got to the leaf Masako led Deidara back to the hospital. When they got there Kakashi, Naruto and Tinnara were just leaving.

"Masako!" Naruto screamed and ran over to his sister and wrapped her up in a tight hug.

"Hey bro…" Masako said struggling a little under the pressure. Tinnara just stood there with wide eyes, "Dei-kun?" she mouthed. Deidara nodded and she ran over to him and the two shared a hug.

'_What Deidara told me on the way here was true… they really are in love…_' Masako thought as she smiled over to them. "Masako…" Naruto said tugging his sister's shirt collar.

"Yeah?" Masako asked.

Naruto pointed to the hospital, "Go see Grandma Tsunade now." He said. Masako's eyes widened and she raced up to her room.

"Mama Tsunade…" Masako said as she burst threw the door. Tsunade was on the bed in tears, but when she looked up and saw Masako she ran over and wrapped her in a hug.

"I thought you were gone…" She said quietly.

Masako shook her head, "Sorry…" She said. Tsunade pulled away so the two looked in each others eyes.

"Never again. Don't ever do that again." Tsunade said then smiled warmly. Masako nodded and made her way back down to her brother and the others. When she got there Tinnara was still wrapped in Deidara's arms and Masako with her highly trained eyes could see the clear lines of tears that had fallen down Tinnara's cheeks. Masako smiled warmly at the scene. "Lady Hokage!" Someone said running up. Tsunade turned to them and so did everyone else. Tinnara even let go of Deidara for a minuet.

"T-the Inuzuka residence is…is…" The person tried to continue but collapsed.

"Get this man in the hospital!" Tsunade yelled. Before anyone could say anymore Masako darted as fast as possible to Kiba's house.

"Kiba!" She screamed. Then she saw the full extent of the problem.

"No…" She shook her head.

"Kiba!" She screamed again as she ran into the house. It was on fire and there were rain ninja attacking it. The smoke was heavy and she could barley see, but Masako felt her way around the house. She came across a soft white ball on the floor in the kitchen. She picked it up and it was Akamaru. "Akamaru…" She softly nudged him. His little eyes battered open.

"Where's Kiba?" Masako asked him.

"Arf!" Akamaru said happily then coughed a little.

"Yeah, stay down." Masako said and Akamaru nodded and began to lead her threw the burning house. When they got to a room Akamaru stuck his nose out.

"In here?" Masako asked and let out a loud cough. Akamaru nodded and Masako stood up and walked in the room.

"Kiba?" She asked again. She found her way to a window and looked over the edge. He was there; Kiba was hanging over the edge, unconscious.

"Kiba-kun!" Masako screamed she almost pulled him in, but that would be bad for his health so she gently pushed him out a little as she held him. When she was outside to she bounded off the house and called Akamaru who came out with her. She jumped on his back.

"The hospital boy. Fast!" She commanded and Akamaru ran off. Kiba blinked his eyes wearily and looked up to Masako whose eyes were fixed forward. He lifted his hand and touched one of hers that were holding him down. She looked down at him and he coughed.

"No talking…" Masako smiled at him. He nodded slightly and passed out again. When they got to the hospital Tinnara helped Masako carry Kiba upstairs and lay him in a bed.

"He's going to be fine." Tsunade said.

Masako nodded, "Good." She finally let out that breath that she'd been holding in. Then winched from pain.

"Masako… what's wrong?" Tsunade asked. Masako coughed into her hand shaking her head, but when she pulled her head away there was blood in her hand.

"Come on we have to check you out." Tsunade said grabbing her hand. Masako shook her head and pulled away.

"I'm staying with Kiba." She said.

Tsunade sighed, "Very well." She lay Masako down in a bed right next to Kiba's so that if she wanted Masako could look over to him and make sure he was doing well.

"What's wrong with my sister?!" Naruto screamed at Mama Tsunade after she came out of Masako and Kiba's room. Tsunade shook her head and Naruto shoved past her and into the room. Kiba was up and better all ready. He just sat and stared at Masako. She was hooked up to several machines monitoring her breathing and heart rate.

After Kiba had smelt everyone come in he said, "What's wrong with Masako Uzumaki?" Tsunade sighed as everyone looked at her. Naruto was over at the side of his sister's bed crying slightly.

"It's her Death curse mark." Tsunade said. Tinnara was looking to the floor, but Deidara and Kakashi were watching Tsunade closely.

"What I'm wondering is why it didn't act like this when she was twelve. She controlled it fine then. Why now? Hasn't she gotten strong?" Tsunade asked. It was silent in the room for a little until Tinnara spoke.

She didn't lift her head though, "It's true. Masako and I have both gotten very strong. It may be though that as we got stronger so did our curse marks. I'm just lucky she has Death. No matter how strong the Hell curse mark becomes it will not kill me like the Death one could do to Masako if it becomes more powerful then her…" Tsunade gasped when Tinnara mentioned that the curse mark could kill Masako.

"Damn you Orochimaru." She muttered under her breath.

"There is an antidote…" Tinnara finished. Everyone looked to her even Naruto and Kiba.

"There is?" The two crying boys asked at the same time.

Tinnara nodded, "There's one for all the side effects of every curse mark. We just have to ask Kabuto to give them to us. He's the only ninja alive that knows them and has them." She answered.

"Then I guess we've got a mission." Naruto smiled as he stood up. Kiba smiled and got out of his bed.

"No way. You're staying here." Tsunade said walking over to him.

"Grandma Tsunade, let him go. She helped him now he wants to help her." Naruto said.

Tsunade sighed but nodded, "Get going. Who knows how long you have." She said and the three ninja scurried out of the room.

"I should go tell… um… my friend." Deidara said then left. By that he meant he was going to tell Tobi and Niko and all three of them were going to go and help the leaf get this antidote.


	24. Chapter 24

Naruto laughed a little as they all jumped threw the trees. "What's so funny?" Tinnara yelled over her shoulder.

"My sister is usually the one to save my butt." He smiled. Tinnara nodded, "That's true. Me and her: the butt saving brigade." She smiled at him and he smiled back. Kiba wasn't smiling he didn't even really know what was going on. He just wanted to rip Oruchimaru to shreds. First he took Sasuke now he was messing with Masako, two of his comrades and Kiba was sick of it. He hated it and wanted to kill the guy.

"Kiba, you okay?" Tinnara asked as she fell back so she was next to him.

Kiba shook his head, "Not until we get that antidote to Masako." He answered.

"So this whole mission you'll be all emo and depressed?" She asked.

Kiba nodded, "I guess." He said. Tinnara stopped and grabbed his sleeve so he stopped too.

"Naruto!" She yelled and Naruto stopped. Naruto appeared next to her.

"Kiba, Naruto. This mission is to help Masako Uzamaki who happens to be my best friend. I will stop at nothing to help her. I'll even die. I'm the appointed leader of this group I expect the same from the two of you." She said then jumped away leaving the two standing there.

"Come on Kiba." Naruto said and he and Kiba jumped after her.

Back in the Leaf:

Masako was breathing hard and her heart beat was so fast it would receive a speeding ticket if it were on the roads. She was also covered in sweat and kept murmuring things like, "…don't kill…"

"…save the others…" Things like that. Tsunade couldn't help but worry. She thought about waking her, but that would be bad for her health. Even though so could the dreams… instead of torturing herself Tsunade left. It was better to let laying ninjas' lie.

Masako's dream:

"If we work fast we can de-stabilize him!" Masako shouted over the roar of the sea and the storm.

"We can't do that!" Tinnara screamed back.

"Why not?" Masako asked her.

"He's the one!" She answered.

"The what?" Masako asked. Just as Tinnara was about to answer her…

everything went black…

The sea and storm were gone, the only sound Masako could here was the "tak, tak." Of shoes against the floor. They were walking…

Coming towards her…

Closer…

Closer…

Out of the shadows there was nothing except a thick purple mist. The mist swirled around her. Most people would've been scared by the display, but for some reason the mist felt like it was an old friend, just coming to greet her. Masako wasn't scared. The mist realized that and took a solid form in front of her. It was her mother. The only way Masako knew it was her mom was because of the flash backs she'd gotten when she first met Kiru.

"Mom…" She whispered, just to make sure. The women nodded and Masako ran to hug her, but just as she was about to enter her mother's warm embrace she disappeared and Masako was falling down a deep black pit, the ground had disappeared from beneath her, like her mom had. When she stopped falling Masako didn't know where she was, but mist was there again this time dark blue. This mist didn't feel right…

It felt bad…

Evil even…

The mist didn't materialize as anyone in front of her just swirled around her again, but this one spoke.

"Watch your step where ever you go. The more you seek the more you'll know. Who knows when they'll come? I sure do. It'll be in two…

I'd run if I were you." The mist finished then was gone and…

Masako shot up in her hospital bed drenched in cold sweat. She pushed her hair back on her head gasping for air.

'_Who's coming in two?_' She thought to herself.

'_The more I seek the more I'll know? What was that dream anyway_...' She shook her head and lay back down again. She knew she was hurt and she was surprised she'd gotten the strength to sit up at all, much less shoot. She wasn't sure what had just happened and wasn't sure she really wanted to…

Kiba and Naruto followed Tinnara carefully as they snuck threw the halls of Oruchimaru's place. Tinnara had her snake eyes out so she could penetrate walls and see if anyone was in the rooms and what not, it was the only trait she'd gotten from her father and it was a good one.

"Do you see anything?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Shh… yeah." Tinnara answered.

Kiba smirked, '_Good… now I can rip those guys to shreds_.' He thought.

"It's 'daddy dearest' and Kabuto…

Looks like K-man's leaving. Follow me and… don't talk." Tinnara said as she slowly got up and went to stand near Oruchimaru's office door. When Kabuto walked out she waited for him to close the door then grabbed him and forced him to be quite and take the three to his lab.

"Now, Kabuto-kun. Masako's curse mark is acting up. We need all the antidotes for it." Tinnara said once they were in his office.

"There's only one…" Kabuto said picking up a little vile. He handed it to Tinnara, "This will cure anything Death curse mark related and a stuffy nose." He smiled at her.

"Thanks." She said and gave him a hug then the three leaf ninja left silently.

"We didn't get to beat anyone up!" Naruto complained as they jumped threw the forest.

"That wasn't the goal. We got the antidote." Tinnara said and Kiba smiled,

'_Yeah, at least we got that_.' He thought.

"Happy now eh, Kiba-kun?" Tinnara asked smirking at him.

He smiled,

"Yeah, as long as we get that to Masako."

"Oh we will. Count on that." Tinnara promised and they all continued home. Once they got there they ran to the hospital so fast that once they handed the antidote to Tsunade they all passed out on the floor of Masako's room. Tsunade tilted Masako's head back and made her drink the whole thing. After finishing it her eyes opened and she appeared normal. "Thanks guys." She said as she threw back the covers of her bed and went over and wrapped the three up in a hug. They hugged her back, exhausted, but glad to see that she was okay.

"You guys look like _you_ may need the medical attention now." She laughed.

Kiba sighed,

"So your near death experience didn't change you in some significant way?" He asked.

Masako smiled,

"Nope. I'm still the same little ninja as always." She said as he gave her a hug separate from the other two who had pulled away.

"I hope you date Kiba, Masako… I prefer him to bug boy." Naruto mumbled. Masako glared at him over Kiba's shoulder.

She pulled away from Kiba and faced her little brother. "Watch it bro. I'm better now and I feel like killing someone." She said and tapped her foot on the floor. Just as Naruto was about to say something laughter came from outside the window. They all went over to look at it and found Kakashi sitting outside on the roof reading one of his books and laughing.

"What's so funny?" Masako asked as she jumped out by him. He looked up to her and started laughing more. The ninja exchanged confused looks.

"Jirya… book… Masako and Tinnara…" Kakashi tried to say, but couldn't because he was laughing too hard. He handed Masako his book and she screamed in fury and passed it to Tinnara.

"He. Is. So. Dead." The two girls said together. Then they jumped away leaving the others still confused. Naruto and Kiba picked up the book and each held a side in their hand. "Masako and Tinnara are the main characters of his book!?!!!" They screamed together.

"JIRYRA!!!!!!!" Masako and Tinnara screamed as they spotted him walking down the street. They tackled him and tied him to a post.

"What is it girls?" He asked.

"Why are we the main characters in your newest book, huh?" Masako asked as she took out a kunai.

They both glared at him,

"Listen girls, you're both just so pretty and…"

Purvey Sage started but was cut off by Masako and Tinnara both saying,

"Mangekyo sharingan!" Purvey Sage was cast into… who's world?

"Look at this Tin-tin. If we both cast someone at the same time it looks like we share." Masako's voice came from the shadows.

Tinnara laughed, "I guess so."

"What do you want to do to him?" Masako asked. Tinnara's eyes appeared in front of Purvey sage and he looked at them with a great deal of fear.

"You _should_ be scared… Tinnara's mad." Masako's voice came again.

Her eyes appeared next to Tinnara's,

"Then again, so am I." She said.

The ways the two tortured Purvey Sage are far too graphic to even put into words, but let's just say that he'll _never ever_ use them as characters in one of his books again.

Masako and Tinnara walked back to Mama Tsunade's office and re-joined the others.

"What'd you guys do to him?" Kiba asked.

Masako and Tinnara looked at each other and shared evil grins,

"Something." They answered together. Then began to laugh.

"By that laughing I don't want to know…" Naruto said and smiled at them.

The two smiled back at him and Masako gave him a hug,

"I need to tell you something." She said. Tinnara eyed her suspiciously. She knew about Obito, not because Masako had told her, but because she had found the file when they were training in the Grass. She was the one who'd taken the pictures of her and Naruto and pasted them to the family picture of Obito and their parents.

Kiba looked at Masako then at Tinnara and she shrugged.

"Naruto," Masako began. "I haven't been telling you something for awhile, but I think you're ready to know now." She looked around the room and met Tsunade's gaze then Tinnara's. Tinnara gave her best friend a slight nod telling her to go on. Masako smiled and continued.

"We have a big brother. His name is Obito. I've actually met him." Everyone's eyes widened. Tinnara had known about the big brother thing, but not that she had actually _met_ him.

"That's impossible. I watched Obito Uchiha die." A voice came from outside the window. Naruto walked over to it and help Kakashi in.

"It's not impossible! I've hugged him! He's alive!" Masako screamed at Kakashi on the verge of tears.

'_Why doesn't he believe me?!_' Masako screamed in her head. Then vigorously shook it back and forth and ran out of the room.

"Masako!" Tsunade ran after her with Naruto and Tinnara following.

'_It's for your own good Masako_.' Kakashi thought as he watched the others chase her.

Masako was fast and if she didn't want to be caught she _definitely_ wouldn't be.


	25. Chapter 25

'_Why? Why?!_' Masako screamed inside her head as she stumbled up a big hill. She didn't realize it until later but it was the hill that over looked the village. The same hill where she would see the village for the last time.

She was crying hard and her vision was blurred. It was hard to see more than a foot in front of her. She could see a silhouette just in front of her but she didn't care.

"Masako?" A familiar voice asked. Masako was so confused she couldn't place the voice to a person then, but she knew they were safe and ran to them. She cried into their shoulder as they held her in their warm embrace.

"Hide." Masako whimpered.

"Okay." The voice said soothingly and led her somewhere, but Masako didn't bother to open her eyes and see where.

"We're hidden." The voice called and Masako opened her eyes and peered out. She saw the un-inviting forest floor about two hundred feet down.

"Thank you." She sniffled and turned to look into the face of her comforter. It was Shino.

Seeing that it was him she cried more and he hugged her tighter.

"Haven't seen you in awhile, Masako-chan." Shino said as he held her close.

'_It's been far too long._' He thought as he stroked her hair lovingly.

"What's the matter?" He asked and pulled away from her so he could see her face. She had long tear marks through the streaks of dirt on her face and she didn't smile like she always did. It was like all the happiness and love she always had had just been drained out of her. It really hurt Shino to see her in such a state.

"Not dead…" Masako mumbled.

"Who?" Shino asked as he wiped a few tears from one of her eyes.

"Obito." Masako said as she sat back against the trunk of the tree and wrapped her arms around her knees. She looked like a little girl who was hopelessly lost, which she very well might have been.

"Obito? Uchicha? I'm sorry Masako, but he died back when Kakashi was a kid." Shino said softly trying not to be to rude about it.

"No! You're wrong Shino! He's alive! I know!!!" Masako screamed at him.

"How?" He asked.

"He's my older brother. I've met him." She said and buried her face against her knees.

"I tried to prove it to Kakashi, but…" She began to explain, but was cut off by Shino wrapping her into a hug.

He didn't say anything, but when he pulled away Masako was looking at him strangely.

Shino smiled, "Is that why you're out here?" He asked.

Masako nodded.

"Please, don't ever get this away over something like that again. Kakashi doesn't want to know that his best friend is alive then that's fine. That's no reason for you to get like this. I- you know its torture for me." He finished quietly.

"You?" Masako asked as she wiped away a few tears.

"Yes." Shino answered. "Masako, Kiba told me he's told you this before and I bet Gaara has too, but… they were lying because…" He stopped and shook his head. Masako just sat hugging her knees and staring at him with her eyes, her crystal blue eyes.

"Masako. I- for some reason I- think I… love you." With the last two words he began crying. The only way Masako knew he was crying was from the tears falling from behind his glasses. She was surprised at what he just said, but didn't show it. Just sat hugging her knees.

Shino looked pained, like a knife was just stabbed threw his heart multiple times and he couldn't die so the pain just kept coming.

"I understand. How could a girl like you ever love a 'bug boy' like me?" He said and was about to jump down from the tree when he heard a small sound come from Masako. He looked over to her and saw tears flowing down her face. It was like flood gates had just been opened.

"Don't say things like that. Shino… w-when Kiba told me he loved me I said it back, but when I did it didn't feel any different then telling that to Tinnara or Naruto or Mama Tsunade. It wasn't a lie. I do l-love him, but not the way he seems to love me. When I was younger I kissed a lot of guys. I've always been told that I'm pretty." She paused and wiped her eyes a little then continued, "When I kissed those other guys it felt nice and sweet and I don't know what happened, but when we shared our first kiss that night… I- I don't know what I felt, but it was different than the others. And this will feel different too." She paused and crawled towards him on the branch.

"I love you too."

Shino smiled and they kissed. It wasn't like the other guys. Like Kiba and Gaara and Shikamaru. This was a different feeling. Masako had thought that her first kiss with Gaara was what some people identified as 'love', but she had been wrong. This feeling she felt now while kissing Shino was what love was. It's always been hard to explain even today she says she finds it hard to put into words, but you just know it when it happens. And right then while Shino held her close and they shared that kiss. She just knew it was love.

When they pulled apart Shino flipped down off the branch while holding her in his arms still. When they landed he put her down and they hugged and kissed some more. Right then and there, and she was sure of it this time, Masako knew she was in love. And Shino felt the same way.

"Found ya." They heard a voice say and the two split apart and Masako smiled at her pursuers.

"Bug boy, eh, sis?" Naruto asked and smiled at Masako.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Glad you're okay." Tsunade said as she smiled at the young couple. '_She's finally found her love in Shino. That's excellent_.' She thought to herself.

"Settled for Shino-kun, Masako?" Tinnara asked as she smiled softly at her friend. Masako nodded.

"Well, it's midnight now. So why don't we all get some sleep?" Tsunade asked.

"Midnight?" Masako asked confused.

Tinnara nodded, "We've been looking for you for a _long_ time."

"Sorry." Masako mumbled. Shino pulled her closer to him as he said,

"Let's all walk home then. Naruto, Masako?" Masako smiled and nodded as Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"I dunno. Maybe I'll walk home with Tinnara-chan and let you two have your time together." He said.

Masako nodded, "As long as Tinnara doesn't mind." She said and looked to her best friend.

"I mind, but for you, Masako-chan, I guess I'll suffer." The two exchanged smiles then Shino and Masako started towards home.

"Come on idiot." Tinnara said as she drug Naruto off in the opposite direction.

"Wrong way Tinnara-chan!" Naruto said as he struggled to get up.

"No, it's not. We're giving Masako and Shino some time alone." She answered and continued to drag Naruto off. Then she stopped and turned around,

"Sorry Lady Hokage. Wanna come with us?" Tinnara asked with a smile.

Tsunade laughed lightly, "I'll be fine. Go on." Tinnara nodded and continued to drag Naruto like a bag of rotten potatoes.

Masako held Shino's arm a little tighter as they walked, she hadn't realized how far they had gone into the woods, or how cold it had gotten. Shino looked over to her and noticed her teeth chattering.

He stopped for a minute and Masako didn't ask questions just let go of his arm and did a dance around in a circle as an attempt to keep herself warm.

After a while Shino stood up and wrapped her up in his jacket.

"Shino, won't you be cold?" She asked and looked over to him. He had another jacket on, but it was only a thin one.

"I'll be fine." He answered and put his arm around her again. Masako smiled and buried her face into the warm fabric of the jacket.

'_Jacket. _Shino's_ jacket_.' Masako thought.

After a little longer walking the village came into view over the large hill Masako had climbed earlier. She and Shino stopped at the edge and looked down over the village. The lights slowly blinking out one by one.

"So does this mean we're a, uh… couple?" Shino asked quietly.

"I hope so." Masako answered back, quite as well. Shino turned to her and smiled,

"Do we _want_ it to?" He asked.

Masako twiddled her fingers under the jacket,

"I want it to be." She said and nervously looked over to Shino.

"So do I." He answered and kissed her in such a way that made Masako remember how much she undyingly loved him. When they split apart she beamed up at him.

"I guess it means we are then?" He asked.

Masako just smiled and nodded. She turned back again to get another look at the beautiful village below.

"By the way…" Shino began. Masako turned to him, "I love you. Did I mention that?" He said and smiled at her.

"Maybe once or twice." Masako smiled back. He nodded and turned to look at the village.

"Did you know? I love you too?" Masako asked and when Shino turned to look at her she tackled him and they landed on the soft grass. They were both laughing.

Shino laid Masako's head on his chest as they looked up at the stars. He stoked her hair and every once in awhile he would kiss the crown of her head and in return she would kiss his neck which was the only skin she could reach.

They both drifted off and the next morning Masako woke to a loud sigh. She sat up and saw that Shino had sat up with her.

They saw Shikamaru standing with his hands in his pockets.

"Man what a drag. All the couples always love to hang at my favorite spot." He said and sighed again.

"Sorry Shikamaru. We'll leave." Masako said as she stood up and brushed herself down. Shino nodded and did the same. Masako handed him his jacket and the two set off down the hill leaving Shikamaru in his peace.

"How long were we up there?" Shino asked.  
"I don't know…" Masako answered.

The two walked back to Masako and Naruto's house. When they got there Masako and Shino expected to see Naruto and Tinnara at the table eating breakfast, but all the lights were out and when Masako went into the bedroom the three stayed in they were both asleep and the clock on her night stand read: 3:07 am

She looked at Shino and flashed him the clock.

His eyes widened under his glasses, "Whoa. I didn't know Nara could get up so early." He said. Masako smiled and set the clock back down.

"I'm tired." She said and yawned.

"Then I'll go and let you sleep." Shino answered and leaned over to give her a goodnight kiss.

Masako grabbed him and pulled him onto her bed with her, "Who says you have to leave?" She asked and smiled.

Shino smiled back and the two slept soundly in each others arms.

Later in the morning Masako and Shino woke up to Naruto yelling at them,

"Masako! You get a boyfriend and on your first night _this_ happens!"

"Shut up mother hen. Nothing happened. We just slept together, like, literally." Masako answered as she rubbed her eyes.

She looked over to her clock and it read: 6:37 am

"Asshole!" She screamed at Naruto as she chucked the clock at him.

"What'd I do?!" He asked dodging the flying object.

"You freaking woke me up 3 hours after I went to sleep!" She screamed as she got out of bed and chased her little brother out to the kitchen. Shino laughed tiredly and followed the two.

Tinnara was in the kitchen preparing cereal for herself.

"Good Morning, twin terrors." She mumbled as the twins ran past.

"I resent that!" Masako screamed as she chased her brother, now into the bathroom.

"Trapped!" Tinnara heard her scream. Then just muffled sounds of Naruto and something water related.

"This how mornings often go?" Shino asked walking in.

"Most of the time." Tinnara answered then looked up to who she was talking to. She smirked, "Sleeping together on the first night?" She asked. Shino blushed. He was going to answer, but Masako walked in,

"We _literally_ slept together Tinnara-chan. Nothing weird." She answered as she got out two bowls and poured cereal for herself and Shino.

"Thanks." Shino said as she sat down next to him and gave him his bowl. He kissed her on the cheek.

"Aren't swirlys' a little young for us, Masako-chan?" Naruto asked as he walked in with a wet t-shirt and a towel on his head. Masako opened her mouth to answer, but she got cut off by an older Chunin bursting threw the front door.

"Hurry! Lady Hokage needs you all now!" He said out of breath.

Masako and Tinnara exchanged worried looks. They all stood up and left right then.


	26. Chapter 26

Masako was the first one to burst threw Tsunade's office doors.

"Shino and Naruto next door." Tsunade said and the two boys nodded and left.

"What _is_ it?" Masako asked catching her breath.

"Congrats. You two are now Anbu." Tsunade said quickly as she tossed the two girls masks and everyday Anbu wear.

"Why?" Tinnara asked as she and Masako slipped into their new clothes.

"You need to go now. To the sound and stop him." Tsunade continued as she helped the girls strap on their masks. Just then Shino and Naruto came threw the door.

"From genin to Anbu in one smooth step!" Naruto said and Masako knew he was beaming under his mask. She placed her own mask on the side of her head for the time being. So did Tinnara and Shino.

"Stop who, Mama Tsunade?" Masako asked as Shizune painted her official Anbu tattoo on her upper arm, like she did for the others.

Tsunade looked out the window which Masako knew was always a sign that she was worried.

"Sasuke. He's up to know good and Orochimaru's helping him. You must stop both of them." She said and turned to the four newest Anbu members when she finished.

"I was going to send you hands down, but it's against the laws of Konaha to send Chunin and genin on such a mission and I knew Masako and Tinnara wouldn't go without Shino and Naruto so I just made you all Anbu because I decide that rank,_ not_ a test." Masako nodded.

"Go on and complete your mission like true Anbu." Tsunade said and smiled at them. Masako smiled back and the shadow cast by her mask made her look evil. They all turned to leave when Tsunade called to Masako and Naruto.

"By the way, happy fifteenth birthday." She smiled. The twins smiled and nodded, and then all four of them left.

"I wonder what Sasuke and Orochimaru are up to this time." Shino said to Masako as they all bounded at top speeds threw the trees.

"I have no idea, but I don't like the sound of it. A fourteen year old Sasuke and a beyond ancient Orochimaru working together, with Kabuto no doubt." She answered.

"How do you think Tinnara's taking the fact that she'll have to see her dad again?" Shino asked.

Masako shook her head and shrugged. Everyone was silent the rest of the day. When the sun began to tire a shrink behind the horizon Masako stopped on a branch and cupped her hands around her mouth, "_Nanji desuka_?" She shouted. The other three found their way back to her.

"'What time is it?'" Tinnara repeated what her friend had just asked. "_Wakarimasen_…" She finished.

"'I don't understand', either." Shino said repeating what Tinnara said.

"It was just to get your guy's attention. Now that I have it, we're stopping for the night a little early, because we all didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Masako said as she moved her mask to the side of her head and glared at Naruto. He set his at the side of his head too and smiled at her.

"Yeah, happy birthday bro." Masako said as she tackled him out of the tree. When Shino and Tinnara reached them at the bottom they were both lying on the ground laughing. Shino helped Masako up and she helped Naruto up.

"So where we gonna put the tent?" Naruto asked as he brushed himself down.

"Let's use that cave." Tinnara said and pointed to a small cave just a few feet away.

"Nice eyes Tinnara-chan. We'll use that." Masako said and smiled.

Tinnara turned and flashed Masako her sharingan, "My eyes are pretty hot, huh?" She asked and they all laughed.

After they had set up their tent and were all ready to go to sleep Masako rolled over in her sleeping bag and asked Shino,

"Did your bugs find anything weird?"

Shino shook his head, "No they didn't. I think we're pretty safe in this cave." He answered.

Masako smiled and gave him a soft kiss on the lips,

"Night." She whispered.

"Night." He whispered back.

"Happy Birthday sis." Masako heard Naruto mumbled sleepily.

"Happy Birthday bro." Masako said back and rolled to her other side and gave her little brother a hug.

"Taller?" Naruto asked her.

"Nope." Masako mumbled as she closed her eyes and drifted off.

That night she had the worst of the worst dreams.

She was standing in the leaf village, home. It wasn't home though. It was empty and not like the time when Oruchimaru had captured everyone.

It looked like it'd been empty for years.

Masako walked over to her old house she shared with Naruto and found a note on the table. It was scrawled in her hand, but she never remembered writing it. She stared down at the words in horror, even though she knew they weren't true:

Weak. That's exactly what you all are. Leaf, home, Konaha. Ha! Give me a break. And little brother, I want you to know, most of all, you're weak. Pathetic. I bet the nine-tailed fox feels so ashamed to be housed within you. You bring shame to the Fourth Hokage. And…

She couldn't read anymore. She dropped the letter right there.

She had caused everyone to leave, but why?

"You changed. You…

killed." A voice came from behind her. It was a familiar voice, but so different.

Who she saw was Tinnara. She looked sad and like she'd been waiting for a long time. For her?

"You killed everyone, Masako-chan." She continued. Her voice soft and soothing.

"I-I k-killed… e-everyone? Are you sure T-Tinnara-chan?" Masako asked, her voice croaking and sounding hoarse like she hadn't talked for years.

Tinnara nodded sadly.

"What about you?" Masako asked. She was close to tears, but she knew they wouldn't fall. They never did anymore and she knew it.

"You… did kill me Masako-chan." Tinnara answered. Masako's eyes grew big and she backed away from her best friend. Not because of the fact that she was dead and talking to her, but because she had actually…

killed her.

Masako tripped on the table and a pile of dust fell on her lap as Shino appeared next to Tinnara.

"Him too." Tinnara said as if reading Masako's thoughts.

Masako shook her head as the tears stung the back of her eyes.

Tinnara nodded gravely as she and Shino and now Naruto and all her other comrades advanced towards her.

Shouldn't she be happy to see them?

No. Not when she killed them.

Masako sat up in her sleeping bag. The tears that wouldn't fall in her dream had fallen down her cheeks. The collar of her shirt was soaked and she was ready to cry some more, but when she looked over to Shino, Tinnara and her brother she just had to check.

She crawled over to each of them and quietly made sure they were okay.

'_Not a scratch_.' They were all fine and alive. She hadn't done anything to them.

It wasn't that scary of a dream… okay it was really scary for her. Put yourself in Masako's position.

You're powerful and you dream that you used that power to kill, not just harm,

_kill_ all the people you loved. Your entire hometown. It's a scary dream and the worst part was…

It was so realistic.

Masako was known to have dreams that predicted the future sometimes, but she hoped that this wasn't one of those times.

She gravely, _desperately_, hoped this wasn't one of those times.

Masako went back to sleep a little shaken up, but sure she would be fine.

The next morning Tinnara shook her awake.

Masako smiled at her friend when she opened her eyes.

Tinnara smiled back, "Welcome back from the realm of the un-dead, Masako-chan." She teased.

"Happy to be back." Masako went along with the joke as she rubbed her eyes.

"You may want to head outside. Lover boy is getting _very_ impatient." Tinnara smiled.

"_Why_?" Masako asked.

"He sent me in here ten minuets ago and I haven't bothered to wake you up until just now." She smiled.

"Oh geez. He probley is impatient." Masako smiled as she got out of her sleeping bag and walked outside.

Shino was pacing outside the tent and the minute he saw her he wrapped her into a _huge _hug.

"Tinnara you liar! She's not dead!" He screamed and glared at Tinnara as she came out of the tent.

Masako laughed a little. She had thought that Tinnara was referring to how she slept to "realm of the un-dead". Not because she had told Shino that she had died.

Naruto sighed from his place by the fire, "Shino I _told_ you. If she was dead I would've died too! It's how the whole seal thingy works." He gave his hot dog a turn on the stick.

Masako nodded her head and gave Shino a kiss on the cheek before heading over to the fire with her brother.

When she got there she leaned over to give him a good morning kiss, but he leaned away.

She crinkled her brow and tried again, but he leaned away again.

"Let me give you a kiss damn it!" She screamed and puckered her lips to try again.

"No way! Anbu don't have their sisters give them kisses." Naruto protested.

"They do if they don't want their sister to hang them by their underwear from a tree branch." Masako said as she placed her hands on her hips.

Naruto sighed, but leaned closer to her.

She smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek, but before he could pull away she licked his cheek with the full length of her tongue.

"Sicko!" Naruto screamed as he pulled away and rubbed his cheek.

"That wouldn't have happened if you were too corporate." Masako smiled and sat down by Shino who draped his arm around her.

"So what's our plan?" Tinnara asked as she sat down across from Masako and Shino.

Masako shook her head and shrugged. She didn't know.

They would most likely just come up with a plan as they fought. She usually did after all.


	27. Chapter 27

Tinnara laughed lightly; her laughter filled the entire forest and the very sun itself seemed to glow brighter as she laughed.

"Masako Uzumaki, _the_ Masako Uzumaki, doesn't have an idea?" She smiled at her best friend who stuck her tongue out at her.

Shino laughed under his jacket's cover and Masako smiled at him.

"I say we just go now. We always think of something in the middle of battle. Plus, we're Anbu." Masako answered and smiled.

She picked up her mask and placed it on the side of her face. The shadow it cast made her look evil and a lot more like the nine-tailed demon that inhabited her.

Tinnara smiled at her friend and grabbed her mask as well and placed it gently on her face. Naruto did the same and so did Shino and after he placed his mask on he removed his glasses from underneath.

"Let's go." Masako and Tinnara spoke at the same time; they sounded so much alike they could very well have been the twins and not Naruto and Masako.

The four hadn't realized how close they were to the sound until they saw the hill that was the entrance to the place.

Masako had learned that no matter the situation bad things _always _lay beyond that hill.

The four didn't wait for long; they all headed over the hill before they had time to think twice.

"Sasuke's here." Naruto whispered to his sister so quietly she barely caught it, even with all her training. She nodded and they all kept walking.

The place seemed empty, abandoned.

Masako spotted her old apartment and smiled glumly at it. Despite what had happened to her while she was there, and for such a short time, she still loved her room. It was just so homey. _By far_ the homiest one besides her apartment back in Konaha that she shared with Naruto and Tinnara, and practically Shino now too even though he wasn't living there.

Tinnara spotted a big pair of double doors and must've recognized it because she walked over and gestured for the others to follow her. They did and Masako helped her pry open the big, wooden doors.

"Welcome back, Masako, Tinnara. I see you've even brought some friends." A painfully familiar voice said as soon as they had all entered and the big doors had slammed shut behind them.

At the sound of the voice Shino grabbed Masako and held her close and she turned on her hidden sharingan and saw Tinnara's red sharingan in the dark. She felt Shino's bugs crawling down her arms and then spreading out, hunting and reporting back to him.

Naruto's arms were wrapped around Tinnara keeping her safe even though he reached only to her shoulders, but the boys were boys and would try their best to keep the two girls safe even if they were Masako and Tinnara and could, and _would_, kill pretty much anyone trying to hurt them.

Masako turned her head away and towards where she had heard the voice. There she saw another pair of sharingan eyes and a pair of green, slit eyes with purple running down the front ends.

'_Orochimaru_.' She thought and wanted to spit towards him, but thought better of it.

She wondered for a minuet if anyone could see her eyes glowing in the dark, but then she remembered when she had looked at herself in the mirror one night before bed with her hidden on and couldn't see her eyes and Tinnara hadn't been able to either, even with sharingan.

"I see my little angel has become an Anbu. Very good Tinnara-chan, dear." Orochimaru said and Masako heard a small sound that might have been a brief clap.

Tinnara _did_ spit at her father, "Don't _ever_ use _affection_ terms when you speak to me. If you _really_ loved me you wouldn't have taken Sasuke _or_ betray the village. And _killed_ the Third Hokage." Masako could tell that her friend was close to tears, but that was only because she was around her so often and she knew her well. It was most likely that no one else noticed.

"Bastard." Tinnara muttered.

"Such harsh words don't you think?" That voice came again.

Masako looked over to her brother to see how he was, he looked fine but behind his bright blue eyes she saw an all too familiar pain; one that she saw too often in her own eyes.

"Sasuke, why?" Masako asked. She had tried to come off as a worried friend and she wasn't quite sure it worked.

She saw Sasuke jump from his place by Oruchimaru and he landed right in front of her.

Shino pulled her back and positioned himself between the two of them, even though he was blind in the dark, but Masako knew that his bugs were helping him see.

Sasuke let out a noise that sounded like the one he use to make when they were young before he hit someone, usually knocking them out.

Masako gently took Shino by the arm and pushed him back a little.

He looked at her and she nodded. He stood back, but kept his hands on her waist so that if Sasuke tried to harm her he could pull her out of the way as fast as possible.

"Why what, Masako-chan?" Sasuke said. Not even attempting to hide the arrogance in his voice.

Masako gave him a look that she _really_ hoped he could see with his sharingan.

"Why did you leave? You know how much sleep we've all lost over this?" She saw the slight hurt in his eyes and continued,

"Even those of us who never really liked you all that much, we all _cared_ for you Sasuke. I remember that after the Uchicha," She paused, choosing her words carefully, ", incident, lots of people took turns watching after you. Even when someone couldn't do much they'd _try_. Does all that mean _nothing_ to you? Most would've thought that after all those nice things done for you you'd have inherited the _Will of Fire_, but apparently all you've _ever_ cared about is killing your brother and reviving your clan. With only one person not much is going to happen. Why not let your friends help you? Open your heart to them instead of closing them out. That's what Tinnara did." Sasuke turned and looked at Tinnara. She had turned around and was now hugging Naruto back, in an I-love-you-like-a-brother-let's-see-what-happens kind of way and not an I-love-you-love-you kind of way.

He turned back to Masako and her bright blue eyes.

Eyes he had hoped would look to him with love and not the usual friendly hatred. Now the hurt and loss they showed him he wanted to kiss away, but he knew he couldn't do that. She would never love him, not after what he'd done.

He didn't know what else to do. So he did the only thing he knew how to do; he took out his katana and slashed towards her.

Shino heard the katana slide from its holder on Sasuke's back, metal against metal, and quickly spun Masako away while ducking.

Sasuke slashed down and hit the hard floor.

Tinnara and Naruto let go of each other and went to action.

Tinnara found Masako; she had hit the wall, but was fine and Tinnara help her friend up. Masako gave Tinnara her necklace,

"Don't use it yet, this is just so we're ready whenever and so they can't intercept it." Tinnara nodded and switched from sharingan to her snake eyes.

Masako kept on her hidden sharingan, which was now undetectable to anyone, sharingan or not.

Shino had had his bugs break his fall and Naruto had took the few moments of confusion to position himself behind a post near Orochimaru's chair; he was completely hidden.

'_Good thinking bro. We can have you attack if needed_.' Masako thought then realized that he might have not thought of that, just gone there.

"Have fun you kids. And Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said. Sasuke looked over to him, "Do try and keep my daughter alive at least." Sasuke nodded slightly and Orochimaru left.

Tinnara opened her mouth to say something, but Masako clamped her hand over her friend's mouth when she realized that Sasuke had no idea where they were, this was an advantage.

She pulled Tinnara with her behind another tall post.

One of Shino's bugs crawled up her arm and Masako whispered to it quietly, "Tell Shino to get behind a post, but as silently and as un-noticeably as possible." The bug fluttered its wings for a second, saying yes, and flew off to its' master.

After a few seconds Masako saw Shino make his way behind the post next to them.

"Where'd they go?" Masako and Tinnara heard Sasuke mutter, but they weren't sure the others had.

Shino glanced towards Masako, his eyes must've adjusted by now, and gave her a look that she knew meant he was wondering, "What now?" She shrugged her shoulders and watched as Sasuke began to look around the room, taking in every little detail, looking for the slightest thing out of place.

Tinnara tapped Masako on the shoulder and she turned to her. Tinnara began weaving different hand signs very quickly, but not for a jutsu. This was the un-spoken language the girls' had made up when they were in the waterfall because the person they were training with _never_ let them speak aloud. Which, to tell the truth, is almost _impossible_ for them.

So they had created this hand sign language, _not_ sign language, no one else knew this but them.

Masako watched her hands closely and caught what she was saying, "Want to do the trick we learned in the rain? The one about making it look like you're somewhere you're not?" Masako smiled, she remembered learning that trick.

"Yes." She weaved the quick sign and the two girls' both produced one kunai each and threw them.

This little trick they had learned could be done with anything you could throw, but it was quite difficult and took the right settings. They both threw the kunai behind them with such force and at such an odd angle they bounced off the far wall and headed towards Sasuke. He deflected them and smirked as he walked over towards where it looked like the kunai had been thrown.

Shino and Naruto were both looking at them and the two girls' smiled.

Masako gestured with her hand for them to all follow her out from behind the poles and pull out kunai and shuriken.

Tinnara and Masako had the same set up on their hands because they often did this during their training. They each had a kunai on both their thumbs and shuriken on all their other fingers except pinky.

Naruto had a similar arrangement except his was kunai on thumbs and pointer fingers and shuriken on all the others.

Shino had out his bugs, but they were down low so they weren't as noticeable.

Sasuke turned around, "So tell me, who did the kunai throwing trick?" He asked and smirked at them. Masako was _really_ starting to get pissed off at the ever current arrogance in his voice.

"Tinnara and I did." She spit at him. He nodded like he had already guessed this.

Tinnara threw two of her shuriken at him and he didn't even try to dodge them. Sasuke just stood there and watched the two stars fly at him and Masako and her friends watched as they buried themselves in his cheek.

They all look among themselves then back at Sasuke who kneeled on the ground then fell, face first, to the floor.

"Is he… dead?" Naruto asked as Masako and Tinnara walked over to see. They had had their share of dead or badly injured people.

Masako touched his neck and felt a plus. Slow, but it was there.

"He'll be fine. Let's split before we get caught." She said as she stood up.

"What about our mission?" Naruto asked as he looked up from his injured friend on the ground and to his sister.

"Our mission was to stop them, we did. Whether they'll start up again wasn't our problem. If they do we, or some other Anbu, will just be sent out again." Tinnara said and they all went with that and walked out the big doors.

They all squinted in the daylight and walked over the hill and started home.

After a couple days travel the gates that marked the entrance to their home came into view.

"Hey guys. How'd your mission go?" One of the guards asked.

"Hey, are you guys… _Anbu_?" Another asked. They all nodded tiredly.

"Way to go!" The guy said and smiled at them. They all gave him smiles back, as best they could, then headed off towards their homes. Shino to his and the other three to theirs.

When they got there Tinnara and Naruto walked into the bedroom and slumped on their beds with the same, "neh" sound.

Masako sat at the table and put her head in her hands. She had _hated_ Sasuke when they were kids, but she had always had a soft spot for him too. Whenever she saw the dirty bastard get hurt she couldn't help feel at least a _little_ bad.

She sighed and decided to not trouble herself with this and just went into her room and went to sleep like the others. She didn't remember her dreams, she was too tired.

The next morning when Masako woke up Tinnara and Naruto were still asleep and she smiled as she got dressed and left for Shino's. It was already 11:52 am. He usually was up at about 7-ish.

When she knocked on the front door his mom answered.

"Good morning Masako. How are you?" She asked with a bright smile. She always cared for Masako and found her adorable so she was always _really_ nice.

"Fine. Is Shino home?" Masako asked as she gave a short bow.

"Yes he is. You can go to his room." Shino's loving mother moved to the side so Masako could walk through and she did with a short bow. Once inside she took a second after the door closed to smell all of the sweet smells. Their house always smelled good.

Then she kicked off her sandals and made her way to Shino's room.

First she had to pass by the office, then the door to their open air training field, then the place where they kept extra bugs and finally Shino's room.

"Hey Shi—"Masako paused in the middle of her sentence at what she saw.

"Masako! It's not—"Shino tired to say, but Masako cut him off by running out of the room.

"Masako!" Shino screamed as he stood up. Letting his crying cousin go for a second.

"Looks like your relationship problems are worse then mine." His cousin noted as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

Masako ran back to her house with tears streaming out from behind her.

'_Another girl! Why? Why? She was from the stone. I thought Shino loved me. I guess it was all lies. But… I love him! This is impossible_.'

When she burst through the front door and into the bedroom she was glad to see that Naruto and Tinnara had left. No matter how close they were to her she didn't want _any_one seeing her cry.

After who knows how long she felt arms wrap around her.

"Tinnara-chan…" She wept into the shoulder that held her.

"No, but I'm still here for you Masako-chan." The person answered softly.

Masako nodded into the shoulder, she knew who it was, but she didn't care at the moment.

She cried for a bit longer and Lee didn't let go once. After she pulled away he handed her a tissue.

"Thanks." Masako said as she tossed it, used, into the trash.

"Shino's talking to Kiba about what happened in the forest, I over heard." Lee said, answering the question she was about to ask.

"What'd he say?" Masako asked him.

"I don't know. As soon as I heard that you were hurt, even possibly, I came running." He answered.

"Why?"

"Why? That's silly. You know why."

Masako shook her head a little, "No, I don't."

Lee looked down at the covers of the bed and blushed slightly, "Well, it's because I l—love you."

Masako had looked down to the covers too, but as his last words she looked up. Then her head dropped back down again, "No. You don't Lee. Trust me."

"No! I do!" He protested.

Masako gently held his shoulders, "No Lee. You don't." She said gently, but firmly.

"I—I _do_." Lee said again. He sounded so close to tears that it hurt Masako to hear him.

Then without warning Lee looked up from the covers and kissed her. He grabbed her shoulders and just pressed his lips firmly against hers.

Masako slipped her hands off her lap and grabbed his shoulders again and gently pushed him away.

Lee was crying as he stared at her with his big, begging eyes.

"Lee, you'll find someone you _truly_ love one day. You don't love me." She said quietly.

"I _do_ Masako-chan!" Lee said again as more tears came.

Masako shook her head, "Lee, my heart belongs to Shino—"

"You still love him after what he did to you?!" Lee screamed. Masako's eyes widened and she back up and little on the bed.

"I'm sorry, but that's _stupid_! Masako _I_ would never _dream_ of hurting you like that!" Lee said as he grabbed her shoulders.

Masako looked down at the covers again and sighed, "I'm sure you wouldn't, but I love Shino and no matter what he does I always will. When I was twelve I learned that you can _like_ as many people as you want, but you can only _love_ one. I've found my one to love and you will one day too." She reassured him with a smile.

Lee shook his head as tears streamed down his cheeks, "No… I've found my love. It's _you_ Masako. It always has been. Please… please…" He begged quietly looking down.

"Lee?" Masako said. Lee looked up from the covers and she gave him a soft, delicate kiss on the lips.

"Lee, I love you just like a brother and if you ever, _ever_ need someone just to be around, I'll be here. Lee, I care for you and I want you to be safe, but understand that no matter how hard I try… Shino's stolen my heart and it will be his forever more."

Lee nodded. He knew Masako wasn't meant to be his love, but she _was_ meant to be his friend. They had been comrades and they always would be. Right up until the end.

"Wanna go and get some ramen?" Lee asked with a smile.

"I'd love to." Masako answered and Lee stood up and pulled her off the bed and gave her a hug.

The two left for the ramen shop talking and laughing like good friends should.


	28. Chapter 28

Once at the ramen shop Lee treated Masako to a bowl of her favorite as an apology for the trouble he'd put her through.

"It's no biggy really, but I _do_ love ramen." Masako had said when Lee insisted. He got a bowl too and they sat behind the cover of the white swabs of cloth that fell over the top part of the entrance.

Lee laughed lightly, "Masako, you've got some ramen right here." He pointed to a place on his own face.

"Where?" Masako asked as she tried to get the unseen piece off.

Lee laughed again, "I'll get it." He said and leaned close to her on his chair while he got the little piece of noodle off with a napkin. While he was trying to wipe it off they heard a scream from outside.

"_Masako_! What the hel— Oh…" Shino blushed when he saw what was really happening. From outside it had looked like Lee and Masako were kissing.

Masako's head was turned toward him, then she realized what was going on she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms across her chest.

Their ramen bowls had been taken away because they were done and Lee began playing with the chopsticks in a little cup to hide his embarrassment.

"Masako, can we talk?" Shino asked with a sigh.

"Whatever." Masako said going for her best "I'm-annoyed-with-you" voice. "Thanks Lee." She added and gave him a kiss on the cheek just to make Shino squirm. I mean after all he _had _cheated on her first. So even though she wasn't cheating she could still make him jealous.

After she watched Shino's face grow red with either anger or embarrassment, she wasn't sure, they walked out of the little shop.

"Oh, hey Kiba." Masako said and gave him a hug. "How'd the mission go?" She asked politely, whatever got her out of her talk with Shino was _fine_ by her.

"Fine, but you may wanna talk with Shino, Masako-chan." Kiba answered obviously Shino was giving him a dirty look from behind Masako, but she didn't care.

"Well, I was _trying_ to be polite and talk with you Kiba, but fine—" she started, but Kiba stopped her.

"_Stop that_. He _needs_ to talk to you. Hear him out and just_ go_." He said sternly. He'd never spoken to her that way before. _No one _had ever spoken to her like that before.

With wide eyes she answered, "Fine. I'll go." She turned around to face Shino.

"Ready?" He asked.

"I hope so." Masako mumbled as she followed him to wherever they were going.

When Shino finally stopped they were in a forest.

"So what do you want?" Masako asked rudely as she put her hands on her hips. The entire way there instead of trying to calm herself down and get ready for a nice, calm talk she had fostered her anger and now she was ready to explode.

Shino let out a heavy sigh, "You need to understand what you saw in my room."

"Ha! I _know_ what I saw. I saw you _making out_ with some girl from the stone!" Masako practically screamed at him.

"She was a bee tamer from the stone." Shino answered trying to keep his calm while he explained.

Masako rolled her eyes, "Is _that_ suppose to make it _okay_ that you were _kissing_ her when everyone in the village knows you were dating _me_?" She _was_ screaming now. "Shino… I almost let you… we were so…" She had reduced her voice to a whisper and dropped her head so the tears didn't cloud her vision.

"I know. That's why it hurt me so much to see you run out of there." He answered softly.

"Then why'd you do it?!" Masako raised her head and screamed again as the tears formed little creeks down her face.

"She's my _cousin_, Masako-chan. She was having relationship problems with her boyfriend in the stone and she came to me because she knew I would listen, anyway we were only hugging. I'd never _dream_ of trying to hurt you. Masako… I think you might be my…" He stopped suddenly. His tears were caught in his throat.

"True love…" He finished after a moment of silence.

Masako had planned to just smile at him after his apology, but she loved him and hearing him say that was the most amazing thing ever to her. She ran to him and threw herself on him and they fell to the ground kissing.

The salt in her mouth tasted sweeter than ever and she couldn't pinpoint why then, but later on as she thought about it she realized it was because they were tears for her.

Tears from her soul mate.

Her one true love that she had had the blessing to find, unlike so many others.

She had found him and he had found her and neither one of them was ever going to let that go.

"I see you two have made up." Tinnara smirked the next morning as Shino and Masako walked into the kitchen hand in hand.

"Did you see or hear?" Masako asked teasingly.

"What!?" Tinnara said as she dropped her glass cereal bowl and it broke on contact with the floor, "Shit." She mumbled.

"Did you _see_ or only _hear_." Masako repeated as she helped her friend pick up the glass shards.

"I _saw_ just now. You two holding hands." Tinnara said as she eyed Masako suspiciously and her questions were answered as soon as Naruto walked in.

"Masako! I was up _half the fucking night_ thanks to you and Shino moaning and shit!" He said angrily.

Tinnara's mouth dropped open, "You—"

Masako laughed and shook her head, "We only kiss, but we heard Naruto up and began weird sound affects just to creep him out." Shino laughed from his place at the table with a bowl of cereal.

"You little fuckers! That _haunted_ me!" Naruto complained.

"Don't be a baby." Masako told him as she poured her own cereal.

"What if I do that when _I _get a girlfriend, huh?" Naruto asked with a smirk.

"Shino and I will drown you out with our _real_ noise by then." She answered him.

"_What_?!" He screamed.

"Come on bro. By the time _you_ get a girlfriend Shino and I will already be married with kids who are married and have kids who are married and have kids who have kids who are married who have kids who are married who have kids who are married who have kids who are married who have kids who are married who have kids—"she said through a bite of cereal.

"I _get the point_!!" Naruto screamed at her.

Tinnara and Shino just laughed and Tinnara leaned over to him, "It's breakfast _and _a show." Shino nodded in agreement.

After everyone was done with breakfast they all went about their normal day, all except Masako. She had been asked to come to the Hokage's office at her convenience that morning. She loved to meet with Mama Tsunade so she went right after she was told.

"You wanted to see me Mama Tsunade?" Masako asked as she walked into the office.

Shizune was standing behind the desk and Tsunade was missing.

"Shizune?" Masako asked wanting to know what was going on.

Shizune looked to her with a pleading look and shrugged her shoulders.

Masako nodded.

After she left she headed towards the forest where she found Tsunade in the place she thought she'd find her.

Tsunade was sitting on a bench crying her eyes out.

"'_Why would I listen to you?' 'Because I'm here to take care of you.'_ Then I walked over to you and you picked me up and gave me a kiss on the top of my head and from then on you weren't _The Traitor_, but Mama again." Masako said as she walked over to her.

Tsunade looked up but didn't say anything.

"What's wrong Mama?" Masako asked. She always called her _just_ mama when she was worried.

Tsunade shook her head, "Go with Shino. I want you to go out with him tonight." She said as she wiped her tears away.

"Okay. I will. Did I already tell you? We're in love?" Masako added and watched as Tsunade's face lite up.

"I knew. Now go sweetie." She said and gave her 'daughter' a hug.

Masako smiled then she stood up and left the forest to get Shino and tell him the Hokage's orders.

Tsunade watched Masako run out of the forest then dropped her head again.

'_I should've told her what I saw. Now she won't be able to prevent it. It's going to be her _and _Naruto. Why'd you have to make it that way Fourth Lord?_' she thought then picked herself up and walked her way back to her office.

"Shizune must be going crazy…" she mumbled to herself.

"She didn't say that!" Shino protested as Masako smiled at him from her place sitting on his bed.

"Yep, yep. She did." Masako said and nodded her head.

Shino smiled at her. It was so weird. Barely _any_one in the village, even his own family, saw him smile then Masako came along and you barely see him with_out_ one on his face. Or without her.

"Are you saying you don't like it?" Masako asked him.

"Yep, yep. That's right." Shino said mocking her. Masako laughed as she threw a pillow at him making contact with his head.

He picked it up and threw it back, but Masako dodged it then he threw himself at her and tackled her to the bed and gave her a soft kiss.

"So are you going to disobey the Hokage? You'll get banished you know." Masako smirked at him.

"Oh, I wouldn't _ever_ disobey the Hokage. I'm in." He said and gave her another kiss then got off her.

"Wanna come with me to training? Then after we can hang out?" He offered like a good boyfriend does.

"Sure. I don't even _know_ where Kakashi is these days." She smiled.

"I'm training with Kiba, Hinata and Kurnai-sensei today." Shino told her as they walked to the training grounds.

Masako nodded, "I haven't seen Hinata in awhile." She said.

When they got there she ran over and gave Hinata a hug. Hinata was such a shy girl, Masako loved to help her with her confidence and she wanted her to date Naruto.

"Hey Hinata!" Masako said happily.

"Hi, Masako-chan. You look very nice." She said with a smile back.

"So do you! I _love_ what you've done with your hair! It's so pretty!" Masako commented as she picked up a strand of Hinata's loose hair and tucked it behind her friend's ear.

"Thanks." Hinata said with a blush. Masako just smiled at her. Masako had always been one of the most couragest girls in the village next to Tinnara. They were both just so… _out there_, but Hinata, she kept very much to herself and that's why they liked to help her open up.

"Masako!" A voice came from behind her.

Masako turned around and gave Kurnai a hug, "It's been for_ever_, Kurnai! How _are_ you?" Masako asked. She and Kurnai had always gotten along _really_ well because they both had the same mission with Hinata.

"I'm good! How are you? Are you training with us today? I hear you and Shino are an 'item'." She smiled as she said the last part.

"I'm good and yes and yes we are and I'm very happy." Masako answered with a smile.

"I'm happy too." Shino said as he walked over and put his arm around Masako's shoulder.

Kurnai smiled at them then they all began training, helping each other and pretty much just screwing around.

"Masako!" A broken voice called. Masako had been "attacking" Kiba and she stopped and looked around only to see Niko limping into the forest holding her side that was seeping blood.

"Niko!" Masako screamed as she ran over to her. "Who did this to you?" Masako asked supporting Niko as best she could. Kiba came over and helped her.

"Akatsuki… they wanted to…" She stopped and coughed a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

"No more talking let's get you to Lady Tsunade. For now…" Masako said and she did a quick medical ninjutsu on Niko's side to stop the bleeding or at least slow it.

"Kill Tobi…" Niko practically whispered before she passed out.

Masako's eyes widened and started to fill with tears as she and Kiba helped carry Niko on Akamaru to the hospital. Shino, Hinata and Kurnai followed on foot.

"Masako!" Another voice called. She knew that one well enough.

"Deidara?" She asked as she searched the woods. Deidara appeared with a few scratches and minor bleeding, but nothing like Niko.

Masako convinced Kiba to let him on Akamaru too, because he was friends with Niko and she needed to talk to him.

"All she told us before she passed out was that the Akatsuki did that to her and they did it because they were going to kill Tobi." Masako told him as she used jutsus' to patch him up.

Deidara nodded, "Yeah. Pein found out that Tobi had saved you on multiple occasions and he wants to kill him now. He also told me his true identity… I thought you guys were dating, but…" He stopped and took in a sharp breath.

Masako smiled softly, "No one said it would be painless." She said.

Deidara smiled, "You mean with him?" He asked.

One tear trickled down her cheek as she nodded, "Just tell me… is he okay?" She asked quietly.

Deidara lifted her chin, "He got away and he's smart. I think he'll be fine. He's probley finding his way here very discreetly." He reassured her.

Masako nodded and before they could continue they reached the hospital.

Masako and Deidara carried Niko up and placed her in a bed. Masako did all she could while she waited for Tsunade to come.

"Is she okay?" Tsunade said as she burst through the door.

"She's breathing, but I need help, Mama." Masako said. Tsunade smiled as she sat on the other side of the bed.

"Okay. So, Masako, remember the jutsu we used to close up that big hole in the dam?" She asked.

Masako nodded, "Yeah."

"So we adjust that so it can be used for tissue and skin and we can seal her side." Tsunade said.

Masako nodded, "Got it." She said and started weaving hand signs. First she did dragon then, rat and last horse and her hands glowed a soft black.

"Good." Tsunade said and watched as Masako placed her hands over the wound and smiled when it began to stitch itself up. She looked to see if Masako was smiling, but her face was concentrating on what she was doing, exactly like it should be.

After it had completely patched itself Masako instinctively grabbed a bandage and began wrapping the wound. Only after it was wrapped and Niko looked okay did Masako look up and smile.

"I did it." She said and hugged her 'mom'.

"How is she?" A voice asked from the window. Masako was sure she'd turn to see Deidara, but she found Obito. Not Tobi, Obito. There was no mask and you could see his two colored eyes.

"Obito Uchicha. Some reason I doubted that you'd died." Tsunade said and smiled.

"Why?" Obito asked with a smirk.

"Because, what kind of big brother leaves his little brother and sister to fend on their own?" She smiled at him. He smiled back and Masako ran over and hugged him.

Then she leaned out the window and as loud as she could, which is pretty damn loud, she screeched, "KAKASHI HATAKE TOO THE HOSPITAL NOW!!! I'VE GOT A PRESENT FOR YOU!!" Then she added, "IT'S MASAKO IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY GUESS!!!" She turned around and smiled at Tsunade and her brother who were looking at her like she was crazy.

"Yes Masako?" Kakashi asked as he walked in the door.

"Look who's here!" Masako said and she ran over and grabbed her brother's arm.

"Long time eh, Kakashi?" Obito said with a smile.

Kakashi just stood looking at him for about a minuet. Then he finally spoke, "It really is you. How'd you…?" He couldn't finish he was so astonished.

"Zestu, who's a member of the Akatsuki, found me and noticed that I still had a pulse no matter how weird it was, but he took me out and brought me back to the Akatsuki where, Sasori of the Sand made me a new right side and Kakazu of the Waterfall stitched me all together and reinforced it with bolts in my arm." He explained and held up his arm to show the bolts.

"And your left eye?" Kakashi asked.

Obito shrugged, "Just kind of grew back, but it doesn't have sharingan. That part of me is still with you." He smiled at him and Kakashi smiled back then without further ado they ran at each other and wrapped one another up in a hug.

At the Battle of Kannabi Bridge so many years ago, everyone in the village knew that Obito Uchicha had died, but a part of him was living in Kakashi Hatake. Now the two are united again and they can bud their friendship and be comrades and stay that way until the very end.


	29. Chapter 29

Masako watched as her sensei and brother embraced then as they left to catch up on all years they'd spent apart. Tsunade had already left and Masako checked over Niko's wounds one more time before letting herself get lost in memories with her best friend.

Seeing her brother and sensei made her remember all the times she'd had with that one person in her life that always brought the best out in her. The one person that made you smile even when you were "mad" at them. For Masako that person was Tinnara and they'd been together for a _long_ time.

Five Years Ago second day of school at the Ninja Academy:

"Is this seat taken?" Masako was startled by the voice from behind her no matter how soft and sweet it sounded. She turned around, but thought for sure that the person was talking to someone else but sure enough a little brown haired girl with pink streaks and a smile on her face was looking right at her.

"No." Masako answered and turned back around. She didn't show it, but she was really happy to have someone else sitting by her because no one else was suppose to because of the Hokage's orders and she thought that everyone else had come yesterday and all the other seats were filled except the one in the very back next to her.

"I know, I know. Why wasn't I here yesterday? I got sick on the first day of school! How lame is that?" The brunette girl asked as Masako turned to her.

"Tinnara Eguchi?" Iruka called from the front of the room.

"Here." The girl seated next to Masako answered.

"We missed you yesterday." Iruka smiled at her.

She returned his smile, "Sorry sensei." She replied and Iruka smiled then continued roll. Masako didn't bother paying attention because she knew her name wouldn't be called. If she wasn't going to show up the Hokage would tell Iruka in advanced. If anyone knew that there were two Uzamaki's there was going to be trouble.

So she decided to talk to the girl that was named Tinnara.

"Eguchi? Like the…?" Masako's voice trailed off.

"She speaks!" Tinnara teased. Then continued, "Yeah. Eguchi like the three part clan. I'm part of the Konaha clan and I almost got sent to our branch of the Eguchi in the Grass village! But come on, who wants to be a Grass ninja?" She smiled and her chocolate brown eyes danced.

Masako smiled back at her, she was starting to like this girl.

"Well you know my name, what's yours?" Tinnara asked with her smile across her face.

"I'm, uh…" Masako lowered her voice to a whisper, "Make sure _never_ to use my last name. No one can know it but I trust you. I _can_ trust you right?" She asked.

Tinnara nodded.

"Good. I'm Masako Uzamaki." Masako sat up straighter and smiled, "Nice to meet you." She finished with her voice back to its normal volume, if not louder.

'_Tin-tin really broke me out of my shell. I used to be the small, shy girl in the village, but no one would believe that if I told them today. But she really did help me… I wonder what she's thinking about right now._'

Masako turned around at a groan from Niko in her bed. She didn't move from her spot by the window, but watched and saw Niko shift then her eyes flutter open.

"Aw shit…" Niko mumbled.

"You got a little damaged, but it's okay. Give it some time and you'll heal fine." Masako smiled as she walked over to the cat girl.

"Thanks. You Leaf ninja are all just so…" Niko stopped and just smiled at Masako as she sat down.

"I wanna be one." She said suddenly. Masako looked into her bright, green cat slit eyes and saw the raw determination.

"You'll have to go through the Academy like everyone else, but since you already know how to cast jutsus and control chakra you'll just have to sit in the back of the class for about a month and have one on two lessons with Iruka twice a week. The other nights you'll be free to train with some of the other nin. Maybe even Masako and Tinnara if they're not sent on a mission." Tsunade smiled at Niko and Deidara who were standing in front of her in her office. Masako had taken them to her with Niko's idea of becoming leaf ninja and she had thought it was great. It had only been three days, but Niko's side was already better thanks to her and Masako's healing jutsus combined.

Deidara and Niko: School Time

Niko stretched her arms into the air and let out a very cat like yawn. She scratched behind her ears then looked at the clock. It was 6:45 in the morning and she shot up and yelled as loud as she could, "Deidara! We've got school today! Get your ass out of bed!!!" As she yelled she rolled out of her own bed and marched over to Deidara's and shook him as hard as she could.

When he just rolled over at her yelling she pouted and walked over to her bed again.

She picked up a dark, black backpack that was hers and opened the front pocket. She took out one of her special sound bombs. She's the only ninja in the world that knows how to make them and when they blow up they don't cause any harm… unless you count blowing out your eardrums.

She smiled deviously as she took the bomb over to Deidara and set it on the top of his pillow right above his head. She lite it and happily walked out of the room and outside where she let the sun bask on her shoulders and ease her muscles.

A loud "EEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!" Sound came from her and Deidara's room followed by an angry voice, "NIKO YOU SUCK BALLS! STUPID SOUND BOMBS!!!!!!"

Niko smirked as she walked back to their room and laughed when she found Deidara on the floor with the mattress on top of him.

"Good morning. Now get ready, blondie." She commanded as she padded in her creepily silent way into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

By the time she was done and back in their room Deidara already had his pants on, but his shirt was off.

"EWWWW!!!! DEIDARA PUT A SHIRT ON! I DON'T WANNA SEE YOUR BOOBS!!!!" Niko screeched as she covered her eyes.

"I DO NOT have boobs, Niko." Deidara said as he grabbed a shirt from his drawer and slipped it over his head.

Niko, now realizing that she was safe, took her hands from her face and answered, "Whatever you say… You may want a more supportive bra though." She jumped into the air and hooked herself on the ceiling as she dodged a pillow thrown by Deidara.

"I'm gonna get dressed now." She told him, not leaving her place on the ceiling.

Deidara didn't move.

"_It's getting hot in here. I'll take off all my clothes. I am getting so hot, I'm gonna take my clothes off!_" Niko sang as she began to slip out of her shirt on the ceiling. When her shirt actually fell, along with her pants, Deidara decided to go eat some breakfast.

After about five minuets Niko walked out of the bedroom and joined Deidara at the table. They ate breakfast in silence, both going over how they wanted their day to go.

Niko was hoping that maybe, since she was older, school wouldn't be a living hell like it was before. Or maybe it would just be the kids; Konaha kids are nicer than Iwagakure kids.

Deidara was hoping the same thing; he wanted Niko to know that not everyone would make fun of her for forever. She was a great person and even though she was sometimes annoying and had… different, ways to wake you in the morning she was still his best friend and he wouldn't wish it any other way.

After they both finished it was off to the Academy.

"Niko! Deidara!" They heard voices call. Niko turned and smiled and embraced the blonde girl known as Masako Uzamaki. Deidara looked for Tinnara behind her and as he guessed she wasn't far.

After they all hugged the other two girls' walked with them to the school.

"You'll _love_ school here Niko-chan. Everyone's so nice and Iruka-sensei rules!" Masako told Niko as they walked.

Deidara had laced his arm around Tinnara's waist and held her close to him. They were officially "going together" now and it was a lot easier with Deidara living in Konaha.

"I hope you're right." Niko said just as a boy who always wore glasses over his eyes ran up.

"Hey Shino-kun." Masako said as she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Hey." He responded and put his arm around her waist, but his was a little lower down than Deidara's.

"I feel left out!" Niko complained.

"Shino! You run to fast!" Kiba said as he came running from the same direction Shino had just come. "Hi guys." He said, out of breath.

"What is _that_?" Niko asked as she glared and her ears flatted against her head.

"This? This is Akamaru, he's my dog." Kiba answered.

"I see." Niko said still glaring.

"Why do you seem so mad? I mean, I'm a member of a dog clan. Shouldn't I _have_ a dog?" Kiba asked her.

"No. I'm a member of a cat clan and you don't see me with a cat." Niko answered and she and Kiba had a stare down the rest of the walk to the Academy.

"Have fun you guys." Tinnara smiled and waved at the two friends from the stone.

"We'll finish this later, dog boy." Niko said as she pulled herself from her contest with Kiba.

"Always ready, cat girl." Kiba answered. After Niko and Deidara were safely behind the closed door Kiba turned to the others, "Man she's hot!"

"Oo! Wow! A kitty!"

"Leeme touch her ears!"

"That's sooo cool!"

"I wanna be part kitty too!"

"So cute!"

"So pretty!"

"I wish I was you!" Were just some of the comments coming from the group of kids that surrounded Niko.

"See Dei-kun? _This_ is just another reason for me to love Konaha." Niko said as she raised her head from the kids and smiled at Deidara who was smiling at her.

'_Good Niko-chan. This is what I wanted. You to see that everyone loves you and that you _are_ important. I know when the two of us are Leaf ninja; I'll be able to prove that to you without a doubt in your mind._' Deidara thought as he watched his friend enjoy herself and show the kids how her ears could move on their own.

"Okay kids. I see you've all met our new students; Deidara and Niko. They're from Iwagakure, but they're training to become Konahagakure ninja." Iruka said as he walked into the room.

"Go sit down kids. It's time for all of us to learn." Niko said as she smiled at the kids around her. They all nodded and went and sat in their seats.

At the end of the day Niko and Deidara stayed after to have their one on two lesson with Iruka and even after that it was only 6:00 in the evening.

"Let's go see Masako and Tinnara!" Niko said as she smiled at Deidara. He nodded and they set off to find the two girls'.

When they did they were still with Shino and Kiba.

"We meet again dog-boy." Niko smirked. Kiba nodded and they sat on the grass and resumed their staring contest.

Deidara just casually walked over to Tinnara and spun her around until he had her pinned to a tree. She laughed and he kissed her.

Shino and Masako were making out behind a tree to be "inconspicuous" but everyone knew they were back there.

"Uh… you wanna leave Niko-chan?" Kiba asked after they heard _another_ moan.

"Yeah. I think that one was from Deidara…" Niko answered as she looked over to her friend with wide eyes.

Deidara gave her the bird for about a second before putting his hand back on Tinnara.

Niko smiled and grabbed Kiba by the wrist to take him away.

"How'd you know this was here?" Kiba asked once they reached the all famous cliff over looking the village.

Niko shrugged, "I've done my share of looking around." She said and laid back on the grass as she looked up into the pink, orange and red sky.

She felt someone watching her and sat up to see Kiba smiling at her. She blushed and hid her face.

"Don't hide such a pretty face from me." Kiba said and when Niko turned her head he was right in front of her.

Her big, green eyes blinked once, twice, "Uh… hi?" she said trying to keep the cool calm thing she always had going on. Kiba was making her feel all weird and she couldn't think of funny or witty things to say, her mind felt like goop.

Kiba took her chin gently with two fingers and brought it closer to him.

Their hearts were beating fast and they were both shaking.

Kiba's fingers trembled as he brought her face closer to his. Her tan skin was soft under his hand. He liked touching her, he wanted more.

They met in the middle in a soft kiss.

They pulled apart after a second and stared at each other.

Then they both crashed together and started kissing again. Kiba's tongue caressed her bottom lip, begging her for entrance. Without a second thought Niko pulled her lips apart and they explored each others mouths.

Kiba rolled her over from her sitting position so he was straddling her.

They both stopped for a second so he could pull off his shirt and she pulled off hers.

As soon as they were both done it resumed. Kiba tugged at the straps of Niko's black bra under her fishnet.

She felt his abs and back, everywhere she touched him tingled and everywhere he touched her burned and they yearned for more.

Just as Kiba started to un-hook her bra Niko pushed him off her.

"This is bad. We shouldn't be doing this." She said, breathing heavily.

"Why not?" Kiba asked her as he licked his tingling lips.

Niko caressed his face with the back of her hand, "We're not ready. Or I'm not at least. Let's wait a little please?"

Kiba smiled and gave her a hug and stroked her hair, "Anything for you."

They lie on the grass together and fell asleep holding one another.


	30. Chapter 30

"Niko?!" A voice came from the side.

Niko shot up and Kiba rolled over, "Oh shit!" Kiba said as he grabbed his shirt and threw Niko hers.

"Yes Dei-kun?" Niko asked as she pulled her shirt on over her head.

"What the hell went on here?" Deidara asked.

"I could ask you and Tinnara the same thing. Was that a moan of pain or joy?" Niko smirked.

"Nothing happened?" Deidara muttered.

"Nothing at all." Niko agreed and the friends pounded their fists together.

Kiba walked up behind Niko and kissed her cheek, "I didn't agree to that." He said and placed his arm around her small waist.

"Going out now?" Deidara smirked.

Niko punched him in the stomach and Deidara leaned over; she had knocked the air out of him. "Yep." She smiled and she and Kiba walked off and found the other three.

"Where's Deidara?" Tinnara asked.

Niko smiled, "He's a little out of breath."

Masako laughed and shook her head, "Found a new girl have we Kiba-san?" She asked Kiba.

He smiled at her, "Yeah and she's a lot like you, but so different! You don't have cat ears." He laughed.

Niko wasn't fazed like most girls about the comparison. She was glad to be compared to Masako, "Oh, I see. You just like me for my ears." She put her head on his shoulder and made her ears move to tickle him.

"Yes, they're just _so_ sexy." Kiba answered playfully as Tinnara came back in with Deidara.

"Feeling better?" Niko smirked at him.

He glared at her.

"Let's all go hang out and, I dunno, do mean things to Sai?" Masako said.

"Belly shirt boy?" Deidara asked his arm around Tinnara's waist.

"That's the guy." Shino said.

"I've only been here for a few days and I already hate that kid." Niko said.

"Then it's settled! We'll all bond by hurting Sai!" Masako smiled and they all set off on their "Sai Hunt".

The ninja set out, just like they would on a mission, and found their prey.

Just as they were all approaching Sai, Shizune appeared and they watched in disappointment as there prey walked away.

"Masako Uzumaki, Lady Tsunade would like to see you." Shizune said.

Masako groaned, "Do I _have_ to?" She asked.

"Usually you love to see Lady Hokage and yes, you do." She answered.

"Fun-sucking bitch." Masako muttered under her breath.

"What?" Shizune asked. At first Masako thought she was kidding, but she actually hadn't heard.

"Oh nothing. Let's go." Masako smiled and followed Shizune as she started to walk off.

When they reached Tsunade's office Masako walked in and stood in front of Tsunade who looked uncharacteristically serious today.

Tsunade looked up from her papers and saw Masako standing there, she sighed.

"You needed me?" Masako asked.

"Yes." Tsunade took in a big breath. "When you feel ready come back and tell me, okay?" She finished.

"Ready for what?"

"Anything." Tsunade said and Masako nodded before she left and walked back to the apartment.

'_Tinnara and Naruto must still be out with the others. All the lights are out and it's only nine._' Masako thought as she walked into the house.

She left the lights off as she walked and threw herself on her bed to think about what Tsunade meant by "ready for anything".

"Ow…" A voice said when she landed on her bed.

"Shino?" Masako asked as she flipped on the lights.

Shino smiled up at her from her bed.

Masako shook her head as she leaned against the bed and slide to the ground. Where she placed her head on her knees.

Not long after did she feel a pair of arms wrap around her and bring her closer. She turned herself into him and let out the tears, "How can one person be ready for _anything_?" Masako mumbled into Shino's chest. It was just too much for her to take in.

He didn't answer, only stroked her blonde hair with a black streaks from her having to store chakra in her hair too.

The next week went by without one mission. Then Masako and Tinnara were called to the Hokage's office.

"Girls, you're going on a mission with me." Tsunade said to them as they stood in front of her desk.

Tinnara and Masako looked at each other, they were both decked out in there mission clothes. They had gotten their title of joinin back from when they were put on Anbu.

"Why, Mama?" Masako asked.

"Orochimaru isn't giving up and we have to stop him and Sasuke from trying anything like the invasion they tried three years ago." She answered.

The two younger girls nodded.

"Then let's go." Tsunade said and she stood up and walked with the girls out of the village.

While they jumped through the trees Masako asked Tsunade, "What will the village do without a Hokage while we're gone?"

"I've put Shizune in charge and Sakura is helping her." Tsunade answered. Masako nodded.

It didn't take that long to get to Orochimaru's place now that they knew where it was they had found several different ways of getting there.

"This has to stop _now_!" Tsunade said as the three girls ran into the big room where Orochimaru was often. Just like Masako had expected, Sasuke was standing next to Orochimaru's chair.

"What has to stop my old friend?" Orochimaru asked with a snake-like tone to his voice.

"You know what, you asshole." Tinnara glared up at her father. She was so mad that her curse mark had spread across her face and its strange black design gave her glare more of an edge.

Orochimaru laughed and Masako winced.

"Sasuke-kun…" She muttered. She had never really liked Sasuke, but she cared for him and she knew it was almost time for the transfer, her last chance to save him.

"Yes, Masako-chan?" Sasuke had jumped from his place by Orochimaru and stood in front of her. He leaned down toward her and smiled ruefully.

She grabbed a kunai in case she needed it and looked up at him with her begging blue eyes, "Please come home… We miss you. _I _miss you. Why can't you just come home?"

Sasuke winced as if her actual words stung him. He leaned down by her ear and whispered, "As long as Oro-sama lives I cannot come home. I'm sorry." He kissed her cheek lightly and normally she would've decked him, but these were special circumstances.

She nodded, "We'll fix that." Then she pushed him aside and charged at Orochimaru while letting her fox loose.

Masako had only meant to go to the state where the fox's charka was incasing her body, but her anger fueled it to let loose more.

When you looked at her you no longer saw the beautiful girl from before, if you touched her skin you disincarnated. She wasn't even Masako anymore.

Tinnara's brown eyes were wide and she stuttered when she spoke, "M-masako-chan?"

Inside Masako wanted to turn back, she knew she was scaring her friend. She also knew that she couldn't turn back until Orochimaru was dealt with.

Masako took her mind off the fact that she was a monster and turned around and charged at Orochimaru.

Before she could do anything, a snake shot out and hit her in the head, knocking her unconscious.

When she woke back up a while later she saw Tinnara leaning over Tsunade and noticed Sasuke tied up and unconscious and Orochimaru dead.

'_Note to self: Get whole story later._' She thought as she stood up and walked to Tinnara.

"Tinnara-chan?" She asked quietly.

Tinnara looked up at her and whispered, "He took two Hokage's…"

Masako looked down and saw that Tsunade wasn't breathing and knew that no matter how much charka she had there was no way she'd be able to revive her.

"Come on…" Masako said and helped Tinnara up.

"I'm the sixth Hokage she said." Tinnara swallowed.

"Great, you'll do a good job." Masako smiled at her.

Tinnara tried to smile back and Masako grabbed Sasuke and they left for the village.

When they saw the gates Masako turned to Sasuke, who had woken up, "After being gone for four years being home must feel nice." She smiled at him.

Sasuke smiled back tiredly, "Yeah." He said faintly.

When the girls' walked by the gate guards they smiled, "You got Sasuke back?" One asked.

The other looked troubled, "Where's the Hokage?" He asked.

Masako pointed to Tinnara, "Right there."

Tinnara nodded, "I'll explain later."

"Right, Hokage-sama." The guards said then left it at that.

A few days past and Tinnara was fully accepted as Hokage and Masako was ready for anything like Tsunade had told her to be. She walked to the Hokage's office.

"I'm ready." She said as she walked in.

Tinnara looked up from her papers, "Ready for what?" She asked.

"Mama Tsunade had a mission for me when I was ready. And I am." Masako answered.

Shizune stepped in, "Masako Uzumaki you are to go to the snow village and aid them in the war they now fight. They requested you, but war is a bad thing and Tsunade-sama was looking to protect you." She explained.

"I'll pack my stuff and head for the snow village tonight." Masako said and left the office.

She had her stuff packed and ate some ramen before she headed for the gates.

"You don't escape _that_ easily." A voice came from behind her and grabbed her waist.

Masako didn't feel like laughing, but she turned around in his arms and gave him a light kiss.

"What's wrong, beautiful?" Shino asked her.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone and…" She trailed off.

"Hey. We talked about this, we're ninja and we have lives outside of each other." He told her.

"What about our plans?" She asked.

Shino leaned close to her, still in his arms, and whispered, "When you get back we'll get married and we'll live happily I promise." She still looked down when he gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay." She unraveled herself from his arms and continued her walk to the gates.

"Masako-chan!" She knew the voice and turned around.

Her brother ran up to her, "Happy Birthday. I'll miss you." He said.

She smiled warmly at him, "You too." She responded.

"Taller?" He asked.

Masako looked him up and down then compared with her hands before she finally smiled again at him. She looked up into his eyes, only a few inches up from hers, "Yeah."

He smiled back and they shared a hug, "Don't get yourself killed, sis." He whispered in her ear.

"Stay safe, bro." She whispered back. When they pulled away four bright, blue eyes were filled and spilling over with tears.

"I love you, Naru." Masako told him using her nickname for him.

"I love you too, Masa." He said back and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

She gave him another hug and kissed his cheek, like she often did.

Then she finally left the village and headed for the snow.


	31. Chapter 31

Masako took the directions she had been given and headed off towards the snow village. Silently, stealthily, like a good ninja.

She would worry about mourning over Tsunade when she got a chance, but for right now she was Masako Uzumaki, seventeen year old ninja from Konaha sent to fight with the snow.

Even with her speed and directions it still took her five days to get to the village. Once there she went to the palace.

She didn't bow or say "my lady". Masako simply walked into the throne room, "You called for me?"

The princess laughed. She had befriended Masako and Tinnara when they had come to the snow to train and she remembered her.

"Where's your mom?" Masako asked after she'd looked around for a minute.

The princess's laughter stopped and she looked down sadly, "My mother died a year ago."

"I'm sorry."

"I try not to think about it."

Masako nodded, "So, Rika, you've called me here now what do you need me to do?"

"Of course. Masako Uzumaki of Konhagakure you are to be a spy and a warrior as you aid us in this war." Princess Rika responded.

Masako scratched at the back of her head, a habit her and her brother shared, "So, basically, I just have to be a ninja?"

Rika laughed, "Yeah, but I wanted it to sound cool."

Masako smiled at her and two of the guards escorted Masako to her room for as long as she'd be there.

She lay on her bed and thought of her last visit to the snow.

Five years ago:

"Masako! This place is freezing!" Tinnara mumbled to her friend.

"I know, but we need headbands from here too. Get used to it." Masako rubbed her arms up and down trying to warm herself up.

"Hello girls. I am the ruler of this land, just call me Lady. This is my daughter, Rika."

Masako's eyes trailed down the ruler's arm to find a little hand grasping it.

The girl looked to be about five years old.

Masako felt warm, she had such a soft spot for kids.

She sat up straight in her bed, "That's right! When I met Rika five years ago she was only five. So that means she's now…" Masako paused and counted on her fingers for a second. She raised one of her eyebrows once she had figured it out, "She's only ten and she rules a whole land?"

'_And I can't even manage Hokage…_' She thought and fell forward onto her pillow, ready for sleep.

The next morning she was woken up by someone shaking her.

"Miss Masako?"

She shot up, "Yes?" She asked after she realized what was going on.

'_I don't remember requesting a wake up call…_'

"The princess wishes to see you." The butler like man informed her then left.

Masako scratched her head. She looked at the clock by her bed, "Yeah. When I was ten I _totally_ ruled a whole fucking land then called the people who were helping me at four-thirty in the morning. Who didn't?" She shook her head as she pulled on her long black pants she'd brought on this trip.

Walking to the throne room she was so tried Masako didn't notice much.

"What do you need?" She asked when she stood before the young princess seated on her throne.

"Masako, all we need you to do is wear your rain headband, _only that headband_, and go to the enemy camp. Tell them you're the ninja they asked for. Be sure to take care of the _real_ rain Nin first." She commanded.

Masako examined her nails, "Can I kill?"

"Only the rain Nin. When we come at midnight the second night you're there you'll let us in and then you can kill all you want."

"Sweet." Masako said and took off all her other headbands. She took the rain one from her left thigh and tied it around her head. She handed the other headbands to the butler that had woken her up, "Take these to my room and if there is _one_ scratch on _any_ of them when I get back I'll have your head." She warned him.

His eyes widened and he carried them away like they were made of gold.

"Alright. I'm gone." Masako turned around and held up her hand in a lazy wave.

"Remember the second night you're there—"Rika began.

"Yeah, let you in. I got it." Masako ran out of the palace and started towards the enemy camp.

'_There are my rain ninja._' She smirked. They were the smallest and saddest excuse for ninja that she'd ever seen.

She threw a kunai and hit the tree right by one of their heads. She moved quickly.

"It came from this bush! Why is no one there?!" The biggest one screeched. He turned around and noticed that his comrades were lying dead on the ground. The only wounds on them were deep slits on their throats.

"Because I'm right here." Masako whispered in his ear.

"Masako Uzumaki…" The rain ninja muttered.

Masako pressed the kunai harder to his neck, "How do you know my name?" She demanded.

"I'm Hizashi. You and Tinnara trained with me when you visited the rain."

Masako thought back and she remembered him, he was sweet, nice and cared about her. While she was there he had actually confessed that he loved her and she had kissed him. They had dated until she and Tinnara had to leave. It had been so long ago.

"That offer is still opened." He told her calmly.

Masako winced, she had forgotten about how this super cute boy had told her that if she wanted, he would marry her.

"I can't. I have a boyfriend, Hizashi. I'm sorry."

"I understand, a girl like you wouldn't be able to go boyfriend-less for four years."

She let the kunai drop from his neck and walked around so she was facing him. He had a few tears trickling down his cheeks.

It seemed that to be with who she loved she had to hurt others.

"Hizashi…" She gently touched his face. "You're a great guy, and I really liked you, but I _love_ this guy and… I don't want to hurt you."

"Kill me."

"What?!"

"Isn't that what you were going to do?"

"Yes, but now that it's you I'll just ask that you don't go on your mission to help the cloud."

"Okay." It had taken Hizashi no thought; if Masako wanted it he would've killed his own family.

"Thanks." She said and gave him a soft peck on the lips before she turned away and ran off.

"_When I see your smile, tears roll down my face. I can't replace and now that I'm strong I have figured out how this world turns cold and embrace through my soul and I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one…_"

Hizashi had a habit of singing when he was sad and he was a good singer. Tears rolled silently down his cheeks and he knew that if he only tried he would be Masako's one and only.

Hizashi clenched his fists, "If I want her as mine I'll have to do it by force."

Masako successfully made it into the Cloud. They thought she was the rain nin they ordered and it had been two days already.

At midnight she practically walked over to let the Snow in.

"These Cloud ninja have really crappy guarding system, when I was here it was so much better." She whispered to one of the men who was on her assassin team, they were all going to start the ambush.

The ambush was easy, and won the snow the war. It was pathetic as Masako puts it and not even worth writing here.

"Thank you for your aid. You've been gone for three years, and now you can return home." Rika smiled at Masako.

Masako smiled back then ran as fast as she could home.

The snow had kept her for awhile just in the palace before they let her go to the Cloud because before then they didn't have a plan.

Now that she was on her way home she didn't care about much else. She was twenty now and that meant so were her comrades and Niko was twenty-one.

'_I wonder how much the village has changed…_'


End file.
